Mujahid Anwar Khan

Born in an ethnic Rajput Sulehria family originally from Zafarwal. Khan was commissioned in GD (P) Branch of PAF in December 1983.^[1] During his career, he commanded a fighter squadron, a flying wing, two operational air bases PAF Base Shahbaz and PAF Base Mushaf and a regional air command.

He is a graduate of Combat Commanders' School, Command and Staff College, Jordan and National Defence University, Islamabad.^[1] Khan holds a master's degree in War Studies and Defence Management.

In his previous appointments, he has also served as Personal Staff Officer to Chief of the Air Staff, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Operations), Director General C4I, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Support) and Director General Air Force Strategic Command at Air Headquarters, Islamabad. The Air Chief has flown various training and fighter aircraft including F-16, F-6, FT-5, T-37 and MFI-17 Mushhak.

In recognition of his meritorious services, he has been awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military), Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military), Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military), Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military), Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Civilian),^[3][4] and the Order of Merit of the Republic of Turkey.^[5]

In 2024, he was appointed as the global goodwill ambassador of Niaz Support, a social enterprise in Pakistan that provides customized wheelchairs.^[6]

Under the command of Mujahid Anwar Khan in 2019 Pakistan Air Force participated in the 2019 India–Pakistan border skirmishes between 26–27 February 2019. On 27 February 2019 the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) conducted six airstrikes at multiple locations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The airstrikes were part of the PAF military operation codenamed Operation Swift Retort and were conducted in retaliation to the Indian Air Force (IAF) airstrike in Balakot just a day before on 26 February 2019.

Following Pakistan's airstrikes, Indian Air Force (IAF) jets started pursuing Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets. In the resulting dogfight, Pakistan claimed to have shot down two Indian jets and captured one Indian pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman. India claimed to have shot down one Pakistani F16 without giving substantive evidence to support its claim.

As a result of the fog of war created out of the dogfight between two air forces, Indian Air Force shot down its own Mil Mi-17 helicopter due to a friendly fire incident in which six IAF personnel were killed including two squadron leaders, namely, Siddarth Vashista and Ninad Mandavgane.^[7][8][9]