Major General Raja Muhammad Anwar Khan HJ (23 February 1915 – 5 February 2005) was a senior officer of the Pakistan Army who served as the first Muslim Engineer Officer and the first Engineer‑in‑Chief of the Pakistan Army. He was also the first Muslim to become a sapper officer in the British Indian Army and its pre‑partition Indian Corps of Engineers. His service number was PA‑48.
Early life and education
Born in Chakwal, Punjab, in the British Raj, Khan came from a Minhas Rajput family noted for its martial tradition. He was one of nine brothers, six of whom pursued military careers. Khan entered the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun, in February 1934 as part of the fourth batch and graduated on 3 June 1936, with seniority counted from 1 November 1935.
Military career
Khan’s early service (1936‑1947) was with the British Indian Army, where he became the first Muslim sapper officer. He participated in the Third Waziristan Campaign (1936‑1939), World War II, and the Burma Campaign. After the partition of India, he transferred to the Pakistan Army (1947‑1965).
In 1957 he was promoted to Major General and appointed Engineer‑in‑Chief, a position he held for eight years, overseeing the Corps of Engineers and contributing to the development of military engineering capabilities. He retired from active service on 1 May 1965.
Post‑military service
Following retirement, Khan served as Chairman of the Oil & Gas Development Company (OGDC) until 1969. He spent his later years in Rawalpindi.
Awards and honors
Khan was a recipient of the Hilal‑e‑Jurat, one of Pakistan’s highest military decorations for gallantry.
Personal life and death
Khan’s family included several notable military figures, such as his elder brother Major General Muhammad Akbar Khan, the first Muslim Major General in the British Indian Army. Muhammad Anwar Khan died on 5 February 2005 in Rawalpindi.