“Aye Rah-e-Haq Ke Shaheedo”*
Please read thread while listening to the audio from this clip for maximum experience.***
A main feature of this year’s Defence Day Celebrations **
** for 6 September 2008 is a special SALUTE to a rather unsung war hero of the skies from the **
** Indo-Pak war of September 1965.**
** Squadron Leader Shabbir Alam Siddiqui Shaheed**
Sqn Ldr Shabbir Alam Siddiqui
** A PAF Bomber pilot stationed at PAF Base Mauripur (now Masroor) in 1965 when the war broke out. **
** He belonged to the No. 8 Squadron of PAF under the No. 31 Bomber Wing, which flew Martin B-57 Bombers.**
Martin B-57 Bomber
** Friends and the family of Sqn Ldr Alam Siddiqui relate that he was an extremely energetic and patriotic individual. 6 feet tall and a mountaineer by hobby he was the kind who keep looking or challenges. He always used to pray to be able to deliver his best for service to Pakistan whenever need arises and often used to wish to be able to offer the ultimate sacrifice for the Pakistan which he had seen gaining independence during his student days.** He had seen the sacrifices and hardships that had been faced in order to gain freedom and Pakistan. And he was sure he would never think twice if he was needed to play a crucial role for Pakistan’s security.
He had initially been commissioned into PAF in 1954 as a navigator, but being in love with flying he convinced the PAF Chief AM Asghar Khan to allow him to return to the PAF College Risalpur as a commissioned officer to get re-trained as a fighter pilot. He remains the first officer in PAF history to have achieved this distinction.
** On 6 September 1965 he left home in the morning after being informed of the war. He and his companions waited impatiently for orders to pounce at the enemy. By noon after FM Ayub Khan’s blood warming and motivating speech they received orders to strike India’s Jamnagar Airfield at dusk, in order to neutralize the threat to Southern parts of Pakistan from India’s air base just 258 Miles from Karachi.**
** 6 bombers flew at dusk and delivered a surprise attack successfully and returned. Sqn Ldr Alam Siddiqui was one of the bombers in the team. After return it was decided that the bombers would continue to bomb the airfield through out the night in a bombing ‘shuttle service’ of sorts. Only this time each B-57 bomber would fly as a single attacker.**
** Sqn Ldr Alam Siddiqui went on his second mission at about 2200 Hrs with his navigator Sqn Ldr Aslam Qureshi. They returned by midnight safely with after carrying out their duty and completing the mission.**
Sqn Ldr Aslam Qureshi
** By this time both must have been extremely tired, and Sqn Ldr Alam Siddiqui must have been highly fatigues as every aviator or anyone for that matter knows that flying repeated missions is no easy task. A single mission is extremely exhausting and demanding. Regular military training missions alone are very tough. This was a real war mission in the face of great danger after intruding into Indian air space. **
** Sqn Ldr Shabbir Alam Siddiqui had just flown two repeated missions. And now he was ready and volunteering for a third mission right away after having an aircraft ready, refueled and armed for him to attack again.**
** This heroic Pakistan warrior of the skies was now about to fly on his 3rd mission within 9 hours. Which is not just a PAF record in war missions but even in regular training missions as well.**
** The B-57 Bomber with the two brave aviators, Alam Siddiqui the pilot in the front and Aslam Qureshi in the back as navigator flew off Pakistani soil at 0330 Hrs on the morning of 7 September once again. Volunteering for the dangerous mission. They felt that since they had been over the target multiple times they had better knowledge of the area than others who had not been there yet or those who had been there just once. **
** By all means this was a gesture of service beyond the call of duty, in the face of grave danger and with disregard for personal well being and safety, only out of love and devotion to the motherland and the service to which they belonged. **
** As they neared their target in the darkness the area was covered with low clouds as reported by pilots who had just returned from there while they were approaching. **
** Suddenly the aircraft lost control and crashed in a field around Jamnagar in Gujrat state. **
A painting by Gp Capt Hussaini depicting a B-57 bomber crashing while attacking over an Indian air base
** For many years it was believed that either out of fatigue, or due to being spatially disroiented due to lack of visibility and bad weather, the B-57 must have hit the ground while the pilot tried to descend very low to ensure bombing precision. And for years it was thought by PAF as well as the family of Sqn Ldr MS Alam Siddiqui that he must have ejected and would have been taken POW along with his companion Sqn Ldr Aslam Qureshi.**
** India however never claimed shooting down the bomber or having the crew as POW. Until 2006 that is!**
** In 2006 Mrs Alam Siddiqui and her long hope and love for her husband inspired an old friend of her husband who was also an ex PAF pilot Sqn Ldr later Air Cdre Najeeb Ahmed Khan to write to then Indian Air Force Chief ACM S P Tyagi, for some help and details about what really happened.**
** Surprisingly ACM Tyagi responded enthusiastically and welcomed the wife and friend of the lost warrior to India. There they showed them records, took them to the crash site and it was confirmed that the B-57 Bomber aircraft had indeed been shot down by Indian AAA fire and the bodies were buried near crash site and acknowledged the brave actions of the pilot and honoured his wife and friend.**
** A sad note remains that both heroes Sqn Ldr Alam Siddiqui as well as Sqn Ldr Aslam Qureshi remained undecorated and received no medals in recognition for their selfless devotion and ultimate sacrifice for the motherland. Their families and their children have prospered and have made a good name for themselves. Alam Siddiqui’s wife was 21 when he was martyred and his two sons were 13 months and 1 month old respectively. One is an airline pilot and the other a surgeon. Aslam Qurehi’s wife was 23 and their kids were a 2 year old daughter and a 1 month old son, a marketing executive and a lawyer respectively.**
** The service beyond the call of duty and ultimate sacrifice of their fathers in laying down their lives for their beloved Pakistan they embraced eternal glory and shall forever be remembered among the brightest of stars in the hall of fame of Pakistani war heroes and makes the entire nation and ever new generation proud of our valiant war heroes.**
** Courtesy the family of Sqn Ldr Shabbir Alam Siddiqui Shaheed, here is a short documentary as part of a program ‘Missing in Action’ produced in India on Mrs Siddiqui and Air Cdre Najeeb Khan’s visit in 2006. The IAF and then Chief played a very commendable role in true spirit of the profession of arms and camaraderie of soldiers. This prog has probably never been seen before and I thank the family of the Shaheed hero for providing access to it. This program does some justice to the never ending eternal glory of Sqn Ldr Shabbir Alam Sidiqui Shaheed.**
** Please watch this exclusive presentation organized for Paklinks:**
** Clip 1**
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** Clip 2**
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A painting by Gp Capt Hussaini of B-57s performing a loop.
