Hifazat Ullah Khan
| Hifazat Ullah Khan | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance |
 Pakistan |
| Service/branch |
 Pakistan Air Force |
| Years of service | 1974–2010 |
| Rank |
 Air Marshal (Lieutenant General) |
| Unit | No. 5 Squadron Falcons |
| Commands held |
Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Personnel) AOC NAC Base Commander PAF Base Samungli OC No. 33 Tactical Attack Wing No. 5 Squadron Falcons Air attaché in Saudi Arabia |
| Battles/wars |
2001 India-Pakistan standoff 2008 Indo-Pakistan standoff War in North-West Pakistan |
| Awards |
 Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military) Sitara-e-Basalat Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military) |
Air Marshal Hifazat Ullah Khan, HI(M), SI(M), SBt (Urdu: حفاظت اللہ خان; born 4 October 1952), is a former three-star general air officer who served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of Pakistan Air Force from 29 March 2009 till 4 October 2010.[1] A three-star rank air officer, Air Marshal Hifazat Ullah Khan was replaced by Air Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt as Vice Chief of the Air Staff.[2]
Education and Early Life
Hifazat was born in Mianwali. He is a graduate of PAF College Lower Topa where he belonged to V Entry and was a Senior appointment holder in the final term. He then joined the Pakistan Air Force Academy at Risalpur and was commissioned on 25 October 1974 with 58th GD(P) course. Hifazat has qualified Staff College and Air War Course from PAF Air War College; L'ESGI and CSI from the École Militaire in France; and National Defence Course from the National Defence College, Islamabad. He holds a M.Sc. in Strategic studies, from Karachi University.[3]
Air Force career
Air Marshal Hifazat got commissioned in 1974 in General Duties (Pilot) Branch of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). A fighter pilot of Dassault Mirage III, He commanded No. 5 Tactical Attack and Reconnaissance Squadron, and No. 33 Tactical Attack Wing as a Commanding Officer. He has also served as Flying Instructor in the prestigious flying institution Combat Commanders School for 4 years. In 2001-03, he commanded an Operational Flying Air Base PAF Base Samungli. After successfully completing his tenure as Base Commander, he was promoted to two-star general rank in the Air Force as Air Vice Marshal and served as DG NAB Frontier for one and a half year. In November 2004, he was appointed as Air Officer Commanding Northern Air Command of the PAF; a position in which he served for one and a half year till March 2006.
Senior Staff Appointments in PAF
In March 2006, he was appointed Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Personnel) and in July 2007 AVM Hifazat got promoted to the three-star general rank in the Air Force as Air Marshal. On 29 March 2009 Air Marshal Hifazat Ullah Khan was appointed Vice Chief of the Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force.
External Appointments
He has also previously served as Air and Naval Attaché at the Pakistan Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Now he is the Principal of PAF College Lower Topa from where he graduated in 1968.