Pakistan Air Force

Chief of the Air Staffs

Chief of Air Staff (CAS) of the Pakistan Air Force is typically the highest ranking officer in Pakistan Air Force (unless the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee are air force officers) and is a senior and permanent member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

CAS heads the Air Staff of the Air Force and reports directly to the President of Pakistan. Under the authority of the President, the CAS is responsible for the organization, training, and equipping of Reserve, and civilian forces serving in the Pakistan's Air Force and overseas. The CAF also designates Air Force personnel and resources to the commanders of Air Force.

CAS is nominated for appointment by the President, on the consent of Prime minister of Pakistan. The appointment does not need to required the Senate's confirmation. By statute, the CAS is appointed as a four-star air force officer and, an equivalent of full 4-star general (Air Chief Marshal). The current Chief of Air Staff is Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt

1- Air Vice Marshal A L A Perry-Keene, RAF

1st Chief of the RPAF

August 15, 1947 - February 17, 1949

Air Vice Marshal R L Atcherley, RAF

2nd Chief of the RPAF
February 18, 1949 - May 6, 1951

Air Vice Marshal L W Cannon, RAF

3rd Chief of the RPAF
May 7, 1951 - June 19, 1955

Air Vice Marshal A W B McDonald, RAF

4th Chief of the RPAF
June 20, 1955 - July 22, 1957

Air Marshal M Asghar Khan, HPk, HQA

5th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
July 23, 1957 - July 22, 1965

Air Marshal M Nur Khan, HJ, HS, HQA, SPk

6th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
July 23, 1965 - August 31, 1969

Air Marshal A Rahim Khan, HJ, SQA

7th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
September 1, 1969 - March 2, 1972

Air Marshal Zafar A Chaudhry, SQA

8th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
March 3, 1972 - April 15, 1974

Air Chief Marshal Zulfiqar Ali Khan, NI (M)

9th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
April 16, 1974 - July 22, 1978

Air Chief Marshal M Anwar Shamim, NI (M), SJ

10th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
July 23, 1978 - March 5, 1985

Air Chief Marshal Jamal A Khan, NI (M), SJ, S Bt

11th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
March 6, 1985 - March 8, 1988

Air Chief Marshal Hakimullah, NI (M), SJ, S Bt

12th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
March 9, 1988 - March 9, 1991

Air Chief Marshal Farooq F Khan, NI (M), S Bt

13th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
March 9, 1991 - November 8, 1994

Air Chief Marshal M Abbas Khattak, NI (M), S Bt

14th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
November 8, 1994 - November 7, 1997

Air Chief Marshal Parvaiz Mehdi Qureshi, NI (M), S Bt

15th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
November 7, 1997 - November 20, 2000

Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir (Shaheed), NI (M)

16th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
November 20, 2000 - February 20, 2003

Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat, NI (M)

17th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
March 18, 2003 - March 18, 2006

Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed, S Bt, SI (M), HI (M), NI (M)

18th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
March 18, 2006 - March 18, 2009

Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, S Bt, SI (M), HI (M), NI (M)

19th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
March 18, 2009 - March 19, 2012

Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, HI (M), T Bt

20th Chief of the Air Staff, PAF
March 19, 2012 - till to date