Pakistan Air Force Day observed with national pride

Pakistan Air Force Day was observed today with national pride to commemorate the valour of the defenders of air space of the country against Indian aggression in September 1965 war. 

In the 1965 war, the valiant Pakistani pilots despite limited resources not only repelled Indian air attacks but also handed India a resounding defeat, displaying unparalleled expertise in aerial combat and unwavering courage.

PAF ace Muhammad Mahmood Alam, commonly known as MM Alam, shot down five Indian Air Force Hawker Hunter Mk. 56 fighters in less than a minute.

According to an ISPR statement, Pakistan Air Force observed 7th September as Martyrs’ Day at all PAF Bases throughout the country. The day commenced with a solemn observance, including Quran Khawani, dedicated to the martyrs of the 1965 and 1971 Wars, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty since the establishment of Pakistan.

Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of Air Staff was the Chief Guest during a Martyrs’ Day Ceremony held at Air Headquarters, Islamabad. Speaking at the occasion, the Air Chief said that PAF has a proud history of sacrifice, valour and professionalism. He highlighted that the Martyrs’ Day is an embodiment of exceptional bravery, flawless professionalism, and an unparalleled spirit of sacrifice of the Armed Forces of Pakistan.

Hailing the glorious heroism displayed by the Martyrs of Pakistan Air Force, the Air Chief said, “We owe our heroes an eternal debt of gratitude for what they have done for us, setting a supreme example of sacrifice for generations to come. On this solemn occasion, we extend our heartfelt tributes to those heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our motherland.”

In his concluding remarks, he reiterated his resolve to make all-out efforts for the progress and development of Pakistan in the constantly evolving global landscape and pledged that Pakistan Air Force would continue to strive hard for the advancement in space, electronic warfare, cyber, niche technologies and indigenous defence capability to ensure sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan.

Later, to pay homage to the martyrs, the Air Chief laid floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Monument and offered Fateha.

Country proud of Air Force’s courage, dedication: PM

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the entire nation is proud of Pakistan Air Force. In a message on the occasion of PAF Day, he paid tributes to sacrifices and professoinalism of Pakistan Air Force. 

He mentioned that on this date in 1965, the PAF created history of courage and bravery.  Despite being less in number, the brave men of PAF foiled the evil intentions of the enemy. 

The Prime Minister said that M. M. Alam shattered the enemy's arrogance by destroying five of their aircraft within a minute.

Meanwhile, In a post on his X handle on the occasion of PAF Day, the Prime Minister said their exceptional service and prowess ensures that our skies are safe, and their determination and valour contributes to a stronger Pakistan.

PAF releases national song in honour of martyrs

Pakistan Air Force has released a national song in honour of martyrs of the country.

The song begins with the golden words of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in which he says a Muslim does not panic in times of hardship.

The poetry of Allama Iqbal has also been used in the song.

Pilot officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed remembered

Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed, one the youngest recipients of Nishan-e-Haider, was remembered across the country on the Air Force Day. He embraced martyrdom at Goth Ahmed Shah in Sujawal district 1971.

Rashid Minhas Shaheed, who after having joined the air force, was commissioned on March 13, 1971, in the 51st GD(P) Course.

He began training to become a pilot. On August 20 of that year, in the hour before noon, he was getting ready to take off in a T-33 jet trainer in Karachi, his second solo flight in that type of aircraft.

Minhas was taxiing towards the runway when a Bengali instructor pilot, Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman, signalled him to stop and then climbed into the instructor’s seat. The jet took off and turned towards India.

Minhas radioed PAF Base Masroor with the message that he was being hijacked. The air controller requested that he resend his message, and he confirmed the hijacking. Later investigation showed that Rahman intended to defect to India to join his compatriots in the Bangladesh Liberation War, along with the jet trainer.

In the air, Minhas struggled physically to wrest control from Rahman; each man tried to overpower the other through the mechanically linked flight controls. Some 32 miles (51 km) from the Indian border, the jet crashed near Thatta. Both men died.

Minhas was posthumously awarded Pakistan’s top military honour, the Nishan-e-Haider, and became the youngest man and the only member of the Pakistan Air Force to win the award.

Minhas’s Pakistan military citation for the Nishan-e-Haider states that he “forced the aircraft to crash” in order to prevent Rahman from taking the jet to India. This is the official, popular and widely known version of how Minhas died.

Yawar A. Mazhar, a writer for Pakistan Military Consortium, relayed in 2004 that he spoke to retired PAF Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry about Minhas, and that he learned more details not generally known to the public.

According to Mazhar, Chaudhry led the immediate task of investigating the wreckage and writing the accident report. Chaudhry told Mazhar that he found the jet had hit the ground nose first, instantly killing Minhas in the front seat. Rahman’s body, however, was not in the jet and the canopy was missing.

Chaudhry searched the area and saw Rahman’s body some distance behind the jet, the body found with severe abrasions from hitting the sand at a low angle and a high speed. Chaudhry thought that Minhas probably jettisoned the canopy at low altitude causing Rahman to be thrown from the cockpit because he was not strapped in.

Chaudhry felt that the jet was too close to the ground at that time, too far out of control for Minhas to be able to prevent the crash.

In Karachi, Minhas was honoured by the naming of a main road, Rashid Minhas Road and a two-rupee postal stamp bearing his image was issued by Pakistan Post in December 2003.

Rashid Minhas was a very young and inexperienced pilot. The crash took place during his second solo flight on T-33 aircraft. In the run-up to the 1971 crisis the PAF had grounded all East Pakistani pilots in PAF and assigned them ground jobs.