Yahya Khan (born February 4, 1917, near Peshawar, India [now in Pakistan]—died August 10, 1980, Rawalpindi, Pakistan) was a professional soldier who became commander in chief of the Pakistani armed forces in 1966 and was president of Pakistan from 1969 to 1971. General Yahya Khan belonged to the British-Indian Military that procured the accent and habits of the British, but unlike his fellows in both India and Pakistan, he wasn’t a deep thinker or reader. Rather he was a man of deeds. Apparently, he was not always this eccentric; before he became the Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) in 1969, Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan was known as a well-reputed army officer, an efficient ruler, a kind father, and a loyal husband. After six days of his assuming power as CMLA, Yahya Khan pronounced himself as the President of Pakistan on 31 March 1969 and retained that position till 6 December 1971. He was born on 4 February 1917 in Chakwal in a Qazalbash family that hailed from Peshawar.
