While the armed forces and the nation observe the 49th martyrdom anniversary of Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas, the day also gives a message of patriotism and undying love for the nation.
A true inspirational hero, Rashid Minhas is the youngest officer to receive the Nishan-e-Haider, the highest military award, in recognition of his love for the homeland and indelible bravery.
He was also the youngest person and the shortest-serving officer as well as the only member of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to have been conferred the award.
Biography and Early Life
Rashid Minhas was born on 17th February, 1951 at Karachi to a Rajput family. He spent his early childhood in Karachi and later his family shifted to Rawalpindi where he completed his early education.
His father Majeed Minhas was a civil engineer and in a construction management business who later moved to Lahore. Minhas was fascinated with aviation history and technology since childhood. He used to collect different models of aircraft and jets.
He passed his O-level and A-level qualifications from the St. Patrick’s High School in Karachi. His father wanted him to follow his step by attending the engineering university but Rashid had greater things destined for him.
Rashid got admission to PAF School in Lower Topa located in district Muree in 1968 and completed his military training at the Pakistan Air Force Academy in 1969.
Martyrdom
Minhas was commissioned in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on 13th March 1971 and began training to become a pilot.
On 20th August that year, in the hour before noon, Minhas was getting ready to take off in a T-33 jet trainer in Karachi which was his second solo flight the aircraft.
Minhas was taxiing toward the runway when a Bengali instructor pilot, Flight Lieutenant Mati-ur-Rahman, signaled him to stop and then climbed into the instructor’s seat.
Moments afterward, the jet took off and the instructor forced him to turn the aircraft towards India, where he was attempting to defect carrying confidential information.
Minhas sent a radio signal PAF Base Masroor with the message that he was being hijacked. The air controller requested to resend his message and he confirmed the hijacking. The jet crashed 32 miles (51 km) from the Indian border near Thatta.
Minhas struggled physically to wrest control from Rahman as both tried to overpower the other through the mechanically linked flight controls. Later investigation showed that Rahman intended to defect to India to join the Bangladesh Liberation War.
Legacy
Minhas was posthumously awarded top military honour, Nishan-E-Haider, and became the youngest person and only member of the Pakistan Air Force to win the award.
The military citation for the award stated that he “forced the aircraft to crash” in order to prevent from taking the jet to India and providing confidential information to Indian forces.
After his death, Minhas was honoured as a national hero. In his memory, the Pakistan Air Force base at Kamra was renamed PAF Base Minhas. In Karachi, he was honoured by the naming of ‘Rashid Minhas Road’
Rashid Minhas continues to be remembered by millions of Pakistanis for his valiant efforts and uncompromising love for the nation for which he gave a supreme sacrifice.
