33 years ago, today, i.e. on 20 August it was a Friday like today. Something extraordinary happened at around 11:30 am that made history.
At the Masroor Base in Karachi, a young Pilot Officer of the No. 2 squadron who was scheduled to fly his only second solo flight on the advanced fighter trainer Lockheed T-33A did what no other 20 year old pilot, or fighter pilot had ever done. Rashid Minhas wrote history with his own blood in golden words. he made sure his country lived and prospered no matter he lived or not.
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Pilot Officer Minhas
As he was taxiing his aircraft for takeoff one of his instructor pilots Flt. Lt. Mati-Ur-Rehman, a Bengali, who had fallen prey to the rebellious thought, waved him to halt. Rashid obeyed and Mati forced his way into the cockpit and before Rashid could realize waht was going on took off and turned towards the Indian border. Rashid Minhas upon realizing what was going on took control of the aircraft with difficulty and decided no matter what happened he wouild not let this hijack take place and would not cross the border at any cost.
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**A painting of a Lockheed T-33A taking off at the Masroor base done by Wg. Cdr. S. M. Hussaini. Most probably an inspiration from that fateful flight of Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas. **
Everything was happening very quick and rashid didnt have enough time left, in only a few more minutes he realized they would be crossing the border. Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas took the final decision and realizing that he wouldnt be able to take control of the aircraft to return to base he began forcing it down. His rival a more experienced pilot forced it up, but Rashid was true in his cause and managed to achieve his goal just 30 miles short of the border, where he crashed his plane into the Pakistani soil to avoid being disgraced by a hijack, to protect his country from the agony and insult of having to lose a pilot and a plane in a hijack, especially during those turbulent times. He couldn’t let the glory of his country be stained by the enemy, a traitor, who had been one of them. For Pakistan this young man, a boy, a child of just 20, laid down his life! Had all his dreams, hopes, personal responsibilites left behind, abandoned, shattered because he had to answer to the call of duty towards serving his motherland. Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed was awarded the Nishan-i-Haider, the highest possible award for any Pakistani and/or Muslim.
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Nishan-i-Haider, Pakistan’s highest military award awarded posthumously for acts of extreme valour. Its status is higher than that of any other civil or military award.
This Friday 20th of August 2004 lets remember that Friday from 33 years ago, let’s refresh the memory of one of our country’s greatest heroes, greatest sons Rashid Minhas. May Allah grant him a high position in heaven. may his glory be an inspiration for all of us and mayhe be always remembered and may we all be able to take good care of this land for which so many young warriors have sacrificed each drop of their blood.
Rashid Minhas’s grave stone at his grave at the Fauji graveyard off Shara-e-Faisal in Karachi reads the following epitaph:
**"Parwaaz hai ik hi fiza mein dono ki
momin ka nishaan aur hai munafiq ka nishaan aur
Hai Rashid ki shahaadat pai Iqbal ka yeh qaul
shaheen ka jahaan aur hai kyrgyz ka jahaan aur"**
Translation:
**"Both glide in the same air yet
the aim of a momin is another, that of a hypocrite another
On Rashid’s martyrdom Iqbal’s quote is
the world of a falcon is another, that of a vulture another."**
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The real face of the hero;
Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed, Nishan-i-Haider.
No. 2 Squadron PAF Base Mauripur (Masroor), Karachi.
Born 17 February 1951, Martyred 20th August 1971.
**The Official Citation: **
Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas
(Nishan-e-Haider)
On the morning of Friday, 20th August, 1971, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas, a pilot still under training, was in the front seat of a jet trainer, taxing 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 some 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 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 is pleased to award the Nishan-i-Haider to Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas.
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