Vice Chief of the Air Staff (Pakistan)
The Vice Chief of the Air Staff is the second-in-command of the Pakistan Air Force and reports to the Chief of the Air Staff. Since 1979, it has been held by an Air Marshal, a three-star rank air force officer, who is responsible for flight safety, intelligence, procurement, public relations, and the PAF Air War College.
History
Traditionally, the deputy has served as the air chief's principal assistant, overseeing the routine administration of Air Force operations. While there are limitations on the authority of the Deputy with respect to the development of policies, the Deputy handles many of the substantial administrative tasks with which air chiefs are encumbered. This allows the air chief to focus on the larger and more numerous areas of responsibility.According to Rule 31-A of the Pakistan Air Force Act Rules, 1957: "Authorities empowered to order dismissal or removal of persons other than officers and warrant officers:- The, Pakistan Air Force, may at any time dismiss or remove from the service any person subject to this Act other than an officer or warrant officer."
Over the years, the title used to refer to the second-in-command of the PAF has changed from chief of staff to deputy chief of air staff, and since 1979 as vice chief of air staff. Similarly, the rank of the deputy also increased from air commodore to air vice-marshal, and ultimately air-marshal. Throughout the first 40 years of the PAF, 19 individuals had served as vice chiefs; however, Air Marshal Farooq Feroze Khan was the first to succeed an outgoing chief of air staff.
Chiefs of Staff (1949-1964; 1970-1972)
| Name | Appointment date | Left office | Chief | |
| 1 | Air Commodore Douglas Lloyd Almot | April 1949 | May 1951 | Richard Atcherley |
| 2 | Air Commodore GB Keily | May 1951 | September 1952 | Leslie William Cannon |
| 3 | Air Commodore LE Jarman | September 1952 | December 1954 | Leslie William Cannon |
| 4 | Air Commodore Haider Raza | 20 December 1954 | 20 June 1957 | Leslie William Cannon Arthur McDonald |
| 5 | Air Commodore Maqbool Rabb | 21 June 1957 | 24 March 1959 | Arthur McDonald Asghar Khan |
| 6 | Air Commodore M. A. Rahman | 29 March 1959 | 25 November 1964 | Asghar Khan |
| 7 | Air Commodore Stephen Aratoon Yusaf | 1 May 1969 | 28 February 1970 | Abdur Rahim Khan |
| 8 | Air Commodore Eric G. Hall | 1 April 1970 | 3 June 1972 | Abdur Rahim Khan Zafar Chaudhry |
Deputy Chief of Air Staff (1964-1970; 1972-1979)
| Name | Appointment date | Left office | Chief | |
| 1 | Air Vice-Marshal Mohammad Akhtar | 26 November 1964 | 8 April 1966 | Asghar Khan Nur Khan |
| 2 | Air Vice-Marshal Stephen Aratoon Yusaf | 9 April 1966 | 18 April 1967 | Nur Khan |
| 3 | Air Vice-Marshal Abdul Qadir | 19 April 1967 | 13 January 1969 | Nur Khan Abdur Rahim Khan |
| 4 | Air Vice-Marshal Khyber Khan | 1 February 1969 | 19 March 1970 | Abdur Rahim Khan |
| 5 | Air Vice-Marshal Saeedullah Khan | 22 June 1972 | 29 June 1973 | Zafar Chaudhry |
| 6 | Air Vice-Marshal Chaudhary Rab Nawaz | 21 July 1973 | 12 May 1974 | Zafar Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Khan |
| 7 | Air Vice-Marshal Michael John O'Brian | 13 May 1974 | 31 August 1975 | Zulfiqar Ali Khan |
| 8 | Air Vice-Marshal M. Mahmood Hasan | 1 September 1975 | 22 July 1978 | Zulfiqar Ali Khan |