Khan was born to the Niazi Pathans of Hoshiarpur, in north-eastern Punjab, in June 1932. His father, Nazir Ahmad Khan, was an educationist who spent his working life striving to uplift the educational abilities of young Muslims, many of whom were from underprivileged backgrounds. When Pakistan became independent in 1947, Tanvir Ahmad Khan and his parents migrated to Lahore, where Khan continued his schooling, later enrolling at the Government College, Lahore.
