Shabbir Angel - Tale of an Unspoken Hero in Pakistan

“People don't listen to your sermons, they watch and follow your actions.”
A soldier at heart and a philanthropist in practice, Air Cdre (Retd) Shabbir Ahmed Khan
embodies a selfless spirit to serve Pakistan through his values, deeds, and ongoing legacy.

At a young age, seeing his father serve in Pakistan’s Army, Khan developed a love for the
uniform and looked forward to the day he filled the shoes of an Air Force Officer. Although he
could not meet the physical aspects of the eligibility criteria, his persistence remained firm and
he joined the forces at the onset of Pakistan’s 1965 war and trained as a bomber pilot. He carried
the belief that to serve is to live and said, “I wanted to be a doctor if I could not get in the armed
forces, not as a passion but from a desire that it will give me a skill to go out and serve
humanity.”

This desire to give back to his community was the seed that planted the roots of Rashidabad - a
pilot project initiative planned by Khan and his fellow comrades. During the 1971 war, when
uncertainty was amplified; the courage of the officers remained unflinching in the face of
adversity as they sat in an Ops room and pooled in a total amount of Rs. 2970/ in the spirit of
leaving behind the perishable for those who deserve it the most. This small yet impactful amount
laid the very foundation of the city of Rashidabad.

Rashidabad poses as a model city which is not to be seen anywhere in Pakistan because of its
remarkable cleanliness, infrastructure, and hospitality. While the goal was to provide education,
Khan believed it to be much more complex because for a quality education, qualified teachers
are required. By looking at the needs and neglected groups of society, Rashidabad was a land in
a rural area of Pakistan that is now home to special needs children, poverty stricken families, and
qualified teachers and in all of this, his faith in God remained the driving factor that helped his
team build this city.

In a conversation with Abdul Sattar Edhi, Pakistan’s humanitarian, he expressed that he would
leave the Air Force the day it started to feel like a desk job but his years in service were only the
beginning of his humanitarian journey. After his retirement in 1977, Khan devoted his time
towards improving Rashidabad by the help of retired officers working as volunteers and
becoming this humanitarian cause but said, “this is not community work but rather a national
responsibility.”

Most people know him as ‘Shabbir Angel’ but he shies away from that title. Whether it was to
stay back in the scorching heat of Risalpur to talk to his students after a shortfall in their flying
training or to invite his officers with his families to sit under a tree and offer them life advice, his
24 hours revolved around serving others. Speaking to his character, Air Chief Marshal (Retd),
Sohail Aman who works closely with Khan said, “He is truly an angel for his humbleness, piety,
and the ability to never express anger, regardless of the harsh realities he has seen.”

Serving in the war of 1971, loss is no stranger to Khan as he carried the coffins of his fellow
comrades after the battle. In the light of such tragedies, Khan offered a prayer under the wings of
a bomber and said, “God give me a son who should fly on my wings and we should both serve
the country and lay our lives”. His prayer manifested into a reality when his son, Rashid Ahmed
joined the Air Force inspired by his father. Like every bird’s flight comes to an end, the wings of
a soldier become a symbol of his legacy. It was the night of 13th December 1977 when his only
son was martyred in a flying accident after refusing to eject from the cockpit ensuring the safety
of citizens on the ground. “He performed his duty and he has left a tall order for us,” Khan said.

As of now, he has the helping hand of 15 welfare organizations and two projects such as
Alamabad and Younasabad that are being built in different regions of Pakistan solely because of
the way people put their trust in him and his selfless work.

When one’s happiness relies on the happiness of others, family life is an important aspect that is
influenced. In conversation with his grandson, Ramiz Ali, said that having someone like him in
the house was having a role model that has given his entire life towards humanity. Materialistic
concepts were a stranger but a strong belief in giving back to earn more by having faith in God
was a foundational principle in the house. He added, “He kept telling us to live for others and
that’s all I know.”

Shabbir Khan wakes up for the morning prayer, sips his tea and hears the birds chirp while
catching up with his old friends and embarks everyday with his three most important aspects:
Integrity, vision, and pursuit of commitment. With these guiding principles, Khan’s personality
is not only an inspiration but a source of motivation for the citizens of Pakistan.

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