Lieutenant-General Aftab Ahmad Khan was a Pakistan Army Infantry Officer, born in Batala, Gurdaspur District, British India on 22 October 1923 to the illustrious family of Khan Bahadur Mian Altaf Hussain Khan (1874–1946) and Mehndi Begum. Biography Early life, military education and honours After his initial education, at the Municipal Board (MB) High School Batala, Lt. General Aftab Ahmad Khan graduated from the Government College, Lahore, and joined the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. During his tenure in the Army, Lieutenant General Aftab Ahmad Khan graduated from Staff College, Quetta – 1952; the United States Army Command and Staff College, at Fort Leavenworth, USA, 1961–62; the Army War Course, Command and Staff College Quetta – 1967; and Royal College of Defence Studies (formerly known the Imperial Defence College), London – 1971. He was Mentioned in Despatches during the 1965 India-Pakistan War, where he commanded a brigade defending the city of Lahore, Pakistan. He was a recipient of 2 gallantry awards for his work as Pakistan's Ambassador in Philippines in 1984–86: Rank of Datu in the Order of Sikatuna, Government of Philippines, 8 April 1986, awarded by Corazon Aquino, President of the Republic of Philippines; and Das Großes Verdienstkreuz der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany) in recognition of his exceptional services to the State and People of Germany, 9 May 1986. Both awards were awarded in recognition of the two respective governments to have facilitated the rescue of two hostages held by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Photographs of both Citations have been included for historical reference. Military career He was commissioned in the Indian Army as a 2nd Lieutenant on 21 June 1942 and soon, thereafter, joined the 1st Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment in the British Middle East Command. As a young officer, he served in various regimental appointments for the following two years in Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon. In March 1944, his Battalion the 1st Battalion of 2nd Punjab, as part of the 10th Indian Division sailed for Italy and fought against the Germans in World War II as part of the British 8th Army. Major Aftab Ahmad Khan, then a company commander, returned home in December 1945. His Battalion joined the 1st Indian Parachute Division where he trained as a paratrooper and became Company Commander. In 1947, when the Government of India created the Punjab Boundary Force during