KARACHI: Today marks the 47th death anniversary of a national hero of Pakistan, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed.

This brave son of Pakistan was born on 17 February 1951 in Karachi. He belonged to famous Minhas clan of Rajputs.

His childhood fascination with aircrafts and aviation led him to what he truly was destined for. Minhas embraced his true passion after school and earned a degree in Military history and Aviation history from the University of Karachi.

He was commissioned as a pilot in the Pakistan Air Force in 1971.

Ready to take off for a normal routine training flight, Minhas faced a true challenge when an instructor pilot forced his way into the cockpit took control of the aircraft and set its direction towards India.

Realizing the instructor pilot’s intention he tried to regain control of the plane but was unable to do so.

Knowing that he won’t be able to survive, he damaged the controls and forced the aircraft to crash 32 miles short of the border on 20 August 1971.

Awarded with Pakistan’s top military honor Nishan-E- Haider, Minhas became the youngest man in history and the only member of the Pakistan Air Force to be honored with this award for his valiant feat.

Titled a National Hero the Pakistan Air Force base at Kamra was renamed PAF Base Minhas, often called Minhas-Kamra.

Karachi honored this brave Son of Pakistan by naming a road after him which we know as the Rashid Minhas Road.

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