[3] In 1954, he was commissioned as Midshipman in the Operations Branch of the Pakistan Navy and was sent to the United Kingdom to be trained at HMS Dryad as a navigation specialist.

[2] After the death and state funeral of President Zia-ul-Haq, Vice-Admiral Khan supported then-Chief of Army Staff General Mirza Aslam Beg's decision for holding the general elections that saw the electoral victory of Benazir Bhutto and the Pakistan Peoples Party to form the government.

: 235 [7] Vice-Admiral Khan was later appointed chairman of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) which he led from 11 November 1988 until 13 December 1990.

: 199 [9] However, he was elevated as the Chief of Naval Staff when Admiral Malik left the command to him on 8 November 1991.: 199 [9] It was during his stint as naval chief when the Pressler amendment came in effect that ultimately led to the military embargo on Pakistan and Navy lost eight of his surface ships that were to be returned to the United States in the 1990s.

: 476 [10] However, he successfully negotiated with Royal Navy's First Sea Lord Julian Oswald who helped him close a deal with the British government to sell the fleet of Type 21 frigates to Pakistan.