Asghar Khan
A pioneering air force commander and principled political dissenter who shaped Pakistan's early military and democratic landscape.
1921–2018 (age 97)·First native Pakistani Air Chief·Birthday: January 17·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Asghar Khan was a figure of foundational authority and later, formidable dissent, in Pakistan. As the first native Pakistani to lead the Pakistan Air Force, he took command at a critical juncture, modernizing the service and instilling a professional ethos that earned him the title 'Father of the Pakistan Air Force.' His leadership spanned the 1965 war with India. Retiring from the military, he embarked on a second, even more contentious career. He founded the Tehrik-e-Istiqlal political party and became one of the most persistent civilian critics of military intervention in politics, openly challenging successive dictatorships. His 1979 book, 'We've Learnt Nothing from History,' remains a seminal critique of Pakistan's power structures. Though never achieving electoral success, his unwavering stance for democracy made him a moral compass in the nation's turbulent political life.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Asghar was born in 1921, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Asghar Was Born
The biggest hits of 1921
#1 Movie
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Asghar's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1921Born
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1926Started school
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1934Became a teenager
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1937Could drive
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1939Could vote
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Turned 21
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1951Turned 30
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 40
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 50
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 60
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 70
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 80
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2018Died at 97
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
Key Achievements
- Served as the first native Pakistani Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force from 1957 to 1965.
- Founded the Tehrik-e-Istiqlal political party in 1970, advocating for democratic governance.
- Authored the critical political book 'We've Learnt Nothing from History' in 1979.
- Served as President of the Pakistan Football Federation in the 1970s.
Did You Know?
He earned the nickname 'Night Flier' for undertaking dangerous night flights during the early days of the PAF.
Asghar Khan was a graduate of the Royal Indian Military Academy and also trained at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell in the UK.
He filed a landmark petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1996 alleging intelligence agency manipulation of the political process.
Before joining the air force, he briefly served as a cavalry officer in the British Indian Army.
“The greatest danger to Pakistan lies not from without but from within, from the forces of obscurantism and intolerance.”
