Akhtar Abdur Rahman
Encyclopedia
General
Akhtar Abdur Rahman Khan (Urdu: اختر عبد الرحمن) (b. 11 June 1924 – 17 August 1988), born in Rampur
, was a 4-star general in the Pakistan Army
. He served as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
from 1987–1988 and as Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence
from 1980-1987. As DG ISI General Akhtar masterminded the Afghan Jehad against the Soviet Union
by supporting the Afghan Mujahideen
and eventually managed to force the Soviets out of Afghanistan
. A close aide of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
, General Akhtar was known as the second most powerful man in the country during Zia's eleven-year dictatorship. He died in a mysterious plane crash that also killed President Zia and many other top Pakistani generals heading the Soviet war in Afghanistan
, as well as the US Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Lewis Raphel
. General Akhtar's sons Humayun and Haroon are prominent politicians in Pakistan. Humayun Akhtar Khan
has previously served as a Federal Minister while Haroon Akhtar Khan is currently a Senator.
(1945) from Government College
, Lahore
, General Akhtar joined the Army on 16 February 1947, before becoming Captain
in 1949. Over the years, he gradually moved up the ranks and in 1971, as Major-General, he was made General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 12th Infantry Division, Murree. After nearly a decade as Major General, in 1979 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General
in addition to being appointed Director General of the ISI
. During his seven year tenure, the ISI became one of the world's most powerful spy agencies. In 1987 at the pinnacle of his career, General Akhtar was promoted to the rank of a full General and was appointed Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. However, a year later he was martyred in uniform in the plane crash along with General Zia.
, and was executed with the CIA provided the money and weapons, the ISI trained and commanded the Afghan Mujahideen groups, and the Mujahideen conducted Guerilla warfare, ultimately helping lead to the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. General Akhtar is widely praised for his role in the operation and its significant role in the conflict.
General Zia-ul-Haq. General Akhtar and General Zia along with many other top Pakistani Army officials were earlier in Bahawalpur
to witness a US M1 Abrams
tank demonstration. After witnessing a failed demonstration in which the tank missed most of its targets, the Generals left Bahawalpur in a C-130 Hercules
. Shortly after taking off, the control tower lost contact with the aircraft which began flying erratically and eventually nosedived and exploded on impact. The mysterious nature of the crash along with the fact that the aircraft carried so many high profile figures has led to numerous conspiracy theories. A board of inquiry was set up to investigate the crash and it concluded that the most probable cause of the crash was a criminal act of sabotage perpetrated in the aircraft. It also suggested that poisonous gases were released which incapacitated the passengers and crew, which would explain why no Mayday signal was given. It is widely believed that the CIA, KGB
, or RAW
as well as certain disgruntled officials within the Pakistan Army
were involved.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Akhtar Abdur Rahman Khan (Urdu: اختر عبد الرحمن) (b. 11 June 1924 – 17 August 1988), born in Rampur
Rampur, Punjab
Rampur is a town located in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located in Lahore District at 31°24'0N 73°0'0E with an altitude of 169 metres and lies near to the city of Lahore. Neighbouring settlements include Narwala to the west, Awan Baluch to the north, Jamalpur to the east and Risalewala...
, was a 4-star general in the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
. He served as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Pakistan
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee , is a military administrative body of high-ranking and senior uniformed military leaders and officers in the Pakistan Defense Forces who advises the civilian Government of Pakistan, National Security Council, and Defence Minister on important military matters...
from 1987–1988 and as Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
from 1980-1987. As DG ISI General Akhtar masterminded the Afghan Jehad against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
by supporting the Afghan Mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
and eventually managed to force the Soviets out of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. A close aide of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq , was the 4th Chief Martial Law Administrator and the sixth President of Pakistan from July 1977 to his death in August 1988...
, General Akhtar was known as the second most powerful man in the country during Zia's eleven-year dictatorship. He died in a mysterious plane crash that also killed President Zia and many other top Pakistani generals heading the Soviet war in Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
, as well as the US Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Lewis Raphel
Arnold Lewis Raphel
Arnold Lewis Raphel was the 18th U.S. ambassador in Pakistan. He was killed when a plane in which he was a passenger mysteriously crashed near Bhawalpur with then Pakistani President Zia ul-Haq and Brigadier General Herbert M. Wassom, chief of the U.S. military group in Pakistan on August 17,...
. General Akhtar's sons Humayun and Haroon are prominent politicians in Pakistan. Humayun Akhtar Khan
Humayun Akhtar Khan
Humayun Akhtar Khan is a Pakistani politician. He served as the Federal Minister for Trade and Commerce from 2002–2007 and as the Federal Minister for Investment from 1997-1999. His father General Akhtar Abdur Rahman served as Director General of the ISI in the 1980's and played a crucial role in...
has previously served as a Federal Minister while Haroon Akhtar Khan is currently a Senator.
Military career
After his Masters Degree in EconomicsEconomics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
(1945) from Government College
Government College University
Government College University, Lahore is a co-educational public university located on The Mall in Lahore, Pakistan...
, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, General Akhtar joined the Army on 16 February 1947, before becoming Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
in 1949. Over the years, he gradually moved up the ranks and in 1971, as Major-General, he was made General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 12th Infantry Division, Murree. After nearly a decade as Major General, in 1979 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in addition to being appointed Director General of the ISI
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
. During his seven year tenure, the ISI became one of the world's most powerful spy agencies. In 1987 at the pinnacle of his career, General Akhtar was promoted to the rank of a full General and was appointed Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. However, a year later he was martyred in uniform in the plane crash along with General Zia.
Role in the Soviet–Afghan War
When the Soviet Union deployed its 40th Army in Afghanistan, many of General Zia's leading generals believed that Pakistan would be the Soviet Union's next target. They felt that because of Pakistan's strategic location and given the fact that it has warm water ports in the Arabian Sea, it could be a prime target for future invasion. Since the top military brass believed that the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan threatened Pakistan's national security, Pakistan's premier intelligence agency the ISI headed by General Akhtar started providing financial, military, and strategic assistance to the Afghan mujahideen. The ISI received billions of dollars in military assistance from the CIA and Saudi Arabia to train and command the Afghan rebels in a bid to defeat the Soviets. This covert operation was known as Operation CycloneOperation Cyclone
Operation Cyclone was the code name for the United States Central Intelligence Agency program to arm, train, and finance the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, 1979 to 1989...
, and was executed with the CIA provided the money and weapons, the ISI trained and commanded the Afghan Mujahideen groups, and the Mujahideen conducted Guerilla warfare, ultimately helping lead to the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. General Akhtar is widely praised for his role in the operation and its significant role in the conflict.
Death
On August 17, 1988 General Akhtar Abdur Rahman died in a mysterious plane crash which also killed the President of PakistanPresident of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
General Zia-ul-Haq. General Akhtar and General Zia along with many other top Pakistani Army officials were earlier in Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur , located in the province of Punjab, is the twelfth largest city in Pakistan. The city was once the capital of the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The city was home to various Nawabs and counted as part of the Rajputana states...
to witness a US M1 Abrams
M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank produced in the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for...
tank demonstration. After witnessing a failed demonstration in which the tank missed most of its targets, the Generals left Bahawalpur in a C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
. Shortly after taking off, the control tower lost contact with the aircraft which began flying erratically and eventually nosedived and exploded on impact. The mysterious nature of the crash along with the fact that the aircraft carried so many high profile figures has led to numerous conspiracy theories. A board of inquiry was set up to investigate the crash and it concluded that the most probable cause of the crash was a criminal act of sabotage perpetrated in the aircraft. It also suggested that poisonous gases were released which incapacitated the passengers and crew, which would explain why no Mayday signal was given. It is widely believed that the CIA, KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
, or RAW
Research and Analysis Wing
The Research and Analysis Wing is India's external intelligence agency. It was formed in September 1968 after the poor performance of the Intelligence Bureau in the Sino-Indian war of 1962 and the India-Pakistani war of 1965 convinced the then government of India that a specialized, independent...
as well as certain disgruntled officials within the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
were involved.
Books mentioning General Akhtar
- Silent soldier: The man behind the Afghan Jehad by Mohammad Yousaf
- Afghanistan The Bear Trap: The Defeat of a Superpower by Mohammed Yousaf
- Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times by George Crile
- Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 by Steve Coll
- A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif.
- Faateh: By Jang Publishers
See also
- History of the Soviet Union (1985–1991)
- Establishment (Pakistan)Establishment (Pakistan)The Establishment is a term used commonly by Pakistani political scientists and also by political scholars and analysts around the world for the powerful military-dominant oligarchy in Pakistan...
- Crossed Swords,Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within
- General Akhtar Abdul Rehman’s role in the destruction of the USSR