Tariq Kamal Khan Admiral Tariq Kamal Khan ( ; NI ( M ) ) , was a high profile military official who served as the 9th Chief of Naval Staff ( CNS ) of Pakistan Navy from 1983 to 1986 . He is a recipient of Nishan - i - Imtiaz ( Military ) , which is awarded to all the services chiefs upon taking over their respective commands . He rose to national prominence in 1986 after assuming the command of the Navy and served as the close confidential of President General Zia - ul - Haq in the matters of national security . Education . Khan was born in Jhelum , British India where he did his early education from there . In 1946 , he graduated from Military College Jhelum and attended the Punjab University where he did his B . A . in Mass communication from Karachi University in 1950 . The following year , he given commissioned as Midshipman ( Ensign ) in Destroyer Squadron of the Navy . He received his naval training and graduated from Britannia Royal Naval College , Dartmouth in 1956 . In 1960 , he was promoted to Lieutenant in the Navy , and became a junior - staff officer at the Naval Headquarters ( NHQ ) , Islamabad . Naval career . In 1965 , he actively participated in the India - Pakistan War of 1965 , and is distinguished for his participation in Operation Dwarka . As , Lieutenant - Commander , he was put in charge of Satellite communication system of PNS Shah Jahan . His action in the war led him to earn the military decoration after the war . In 1970 , Khan was promoted to Commander and was stationed in the East - Pakistan in 1970 . He actively participated in the conflict , where he was stationed at Chittagong Naval base . Khan was the commander of PNS Jehangir , the destroyer . He helped the Pakistan Army with communication gears and firing at East Pakistan Rifles headquarters to crush Bengali resistance in Chittagong area . Khan was one of the Pakistan Armed officers who were re - called to West - Pakistan , following the successful Indian Navy ' s Operation Trident . By the time , he joined the Karachi Naval Base , Indian Navy had paralyzed the Pakistan Navy and most of her ships were forced to remain in the port . After the 1971 Winter War , he quickly elevated the ranks as many of the officer in the Pakistan Defence Forces were forcefully retired by President ( later Prime minister ) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto . In 1972 , he was promoted to Captain , and in 1974 , he was promoted to 1 - Star rank of Commodore where he was Chief of Staff at the Naval Headquarters ( NHQ ) . In 1977 , he was promoted to 2 - star Rear - Admiral in the Navy , and assumed the command of " " 25th Destroyer Squadron " " . As Officer Commanding of the Destroyer Squadron , he sought to modernize and upgraded the Destroyer and Surface Fleet , and led successful negotiation with Foreign partners to induct the newer destroyers fleet in the Navy . In 1979 , Khan was promoted to 3 - Star Vice - Admiral , and assumed the command of Pakistan Fleet . The following year , he was a permanent officer at the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Secretariat . In 1983 , after the retirement of Admiral K . R . Niazi , Khan was elevated to 4 - star rank , and was promoted to Admiral in the Navy . With the promotion , he was appointed to Chief of Naval Staff of Pakistan Navy on March 22 , 1983 . As Chief of Naval Staff , he commanded the Pakistan Navy till April 9 , 1986 . After his retirement , Khan moved to Islamabad where he lives a quiet and peaceful life there .