Akhtar Abdur Rahman

(1924-1988)

Pakistani intelligence chief

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Akhtar Abdur Rahman Khan (Urdu: اختر عبد الرحمن‎; 11 June 1924 – 17 August 1988), was a Pakistani four-star general who served as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Pakistan Armed Forces from 1987–1988 and as Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from 1979–1987. As DG ISI, General Akhtar collaborated with the Central Intelligence Agency and masterminded the resistance network of the Afghan Mujahideen against the Soviet Union, eventually managing to force the Soviets out of Afghanistan. Due to his close friendship with President of Pakistan General Zia-ul-Haq, General Akhtar was widely considered to be the second most powerful man in the country during General Zia's eleven-year military dictatorship. He died in the plane crash which also killed General Zia and the US Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Lewis Raphel. After his death, his sons Humayun Akhtar Khan and Haroon Akhtar Khan joined politics and have been elected as Members of Parliament and headed key ministerial portfolios several times.