Tahir Rafique appointed new deputy air chief

Tahir Rafique Butt has replaced Air Marshal Hifazatullah Khan who retired on Monday.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has appointed Air Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt as Vice Chief of Air Staff. Butt has replaced Air Marshal Hifazatullah Khan who retired on Monday.

Before his new assignment, Butt was serving as Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Personnel), at the Air Headquarters, Islamabad.

Air force sources said Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Training) Air Marshal Athar Bukhari has been appointed Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Personnel) following Butt’s new appointment.

Air Vice Marshal Sohail Aman has also been promoted to Air Marshal and appointed as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Training).

Butt was commissioned in the General Duties (Pilot) Branch of PAF on March 6, 1977. He served as a fighter pilot in various squadrons of the Pakistan Air Force. During his career he commanded a fighter squadron, a fighter wing, an operational PAF Base and a Regional Air Command.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2010.