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PAF Heroes
Below is a list of some brave men of PAF who fought for their country courageously and brought glory to their service. Although it mentions PAF pilots only but the successful engagements they had were made possible only by the impressive team work of aeronautical engineers, radar controllers and other ground crew.
This list is not complete and I have mentioned very few of the significant historical events in PAF history that are associated with them. Note that the officer ranks mentioned here were at the time of event.
(Late) Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas
http://www.geocities.com/baja/dunes/1107/rashid.jpgPilot Officer Rashid Minhas is the recipient of
Nishan-i-Haider, Pakistan's highest military award.
On the morning of Friday, 20 August 71, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas aged 20, a pilot still under training, was in the front seat of jet trainer, taxiing out for take off. An instructor pilot from the same unit forced his way into the rear cockpit, seized control of the aircraft and having taken off, headed the aircraft towards India. With just 40 miles of Pakistan territory remaining, Minhas had only one course open to him to prevent his aircraft from entering India. Without hesitation and living up to the highest traditions of the Pakistan Air Force, Rashid Minhas tried to regain control of his aircraft, but finding this to be impossible in the face of the superior skill and experience of his instructor, forced the aircraft to crash at a point 32 miles from the Indian border. In doing so, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas deliberately made the supreme sacrifice for the honour of Pakistan and the service to which he belonged. For this act of heroism above and beyond the call of duty, the President of Pakistan awarded Nishan-i-Haider to Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas.
(Late) Sqn. Ldr. Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui
http://www.geocities.com/baja/dunes/1107/sarfaraz.jpg Sqn. Ldr. S. A. Rafiqui shot down 3 Indian planes (2 Vampires and 1 Hunter) in the war of 1965.
On 6th September, 1965, Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui led a formation of three F-86 aircraft on a strike against Halwara airfield. On the way back, the formation was intercepted by about ten Hunter aircraft out of which Squadron Leader Rafiqui accounted for one in the first few seconds. Soon after, his guns jammed due to a defect and stopped firing upon which he refused to leave the battle area and ordered his No. 2 to take over as leader and continue the engagement with the enemy. In the process, his aircraft was shot down and he was killed but not without his action enabling his formation to shoot down three more Hunter aircraft. Squadron Leader Rafiqui's conduct was clearly beyond the call of duty and conformed to the highest tradition of leadership and bravery in battle against overwhelming odds. For this and his earlier exploits, he is posthumously awarded Hilal-i-Juraat.
Sqn. Ldr. Muhammad Mahmood Alam
http://www.geocities.com/baja/dunes/1107/alamn.jpg M. M. Alam is so far the top scorer fighter pilot of PAF. In the war of 1965, he shot down 9 Indian planes (5 in one sortie) and damaged another 2.
On 6th September, 1965, during an aerial combat over enemy territory, Squadron Leader Mohammad Mahmood Alam in an F-86 Sabre Jet, shot down two enemy Hunter aircraft and damaged three others. For the exceptional flying skill and valor displayed by Squadron Leader Mohammad Mahmood Alam, he was awarded Sitara-i-Juraat. On 7th September, 1965, Squadron Leader Alam destroyed five more enemy Hunter aircrafts in less than a minute , which remains a record till today. Overall he had nine kills and two damages to his credit. For the exceptional flying skill and valour shown by him in pressing home his attacks in aerial combats with the enemy, Squadron Leader Mohammad Mahmood Alam is awarded a bar to his Sitara-i-Juraat.
Flt. Lt. Khalid Mehmood
http://www.geocities.com/baja/dunes/1107/khalid.jpgFlt. Lt. Khalid Mehmood of No. 14 Squardon (PAF Minhas) shot down 3 Afghan fighters (2 MiG-23s and 1 Su-22) while flying in an F-16.
His first kill was on September 12, 1988 when he with his No. 2 successfully engaged 6 MiG-23 aircraft of Afghan airforce on a bombing mission inside the Pakistan territory and managed to shot down 2 of them. His third kill came just after 3 weeks when on November 03, 1988, he challenged a formation of 3 Afghan Su-22s near Kohat and after a short dogfight, shot down one of the planes. The entire incident was observed from the ground by personnel of the Pakistan Army and by Phatan tribesmen. The wreckage of the Afghan Su-22 fell 10 NM from Thal on the bank of river Kurram. The picture on the left shows Flt. Lt. Khalid being presented a Kalashinkov rifle by Maj. Gen. Ghazi-ud-din on behalf of tribesmen. (
Another picture)
(Late) Sqn. Ldr. Abdul Hameed Qadri