Rashid Minhas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas NH
Born	(1951-02-17)17 February 1951 Karachi, Sindh, Dominion of Pakistan
Died	20 August 1971(1971-08-20) (aged 20) Thatta District, Sindh, Pakistan (now Sujawal District)
Buried	Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Allegiance	Pakistan
Service/branch	Pakistan Air Force
Years of service	13 March 1971 - 20 August 1971
Rank	Pilot officer
Service number	Pak/5602
Unit	No. 2 Squadron
Battles/wars	Bangladesh Liberation War  †
Awards	Nishan-e-Haider
Alma mater	St Patrick's High School, Karachi

Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas was a brave Pakistani pilot. He served in the Pakistan Air Force. Rashid Minhas is famous for receiving the Nishan-e-Haider. This is Pakistan's highest award for bravery. He was the only Air Force officer to get this award. He was also the youngest person ever to receive it. In August 1971, during a training flight, his plane was hijacked. His superior officer, Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman, tried to take the plane to India. Rashid Minhas fought back to stop him. The plane crashed near Thatta District, Sindh in Pakistan.

Early Life and Education

Rashid Minhas was born on February 17, 1951. His birthplace was Karachi, Pakistan. His family belonged to the Minhas clan. Rashid spent his early years in Karachi. Later, his family moved to Rawalpindi, then came back to Karachi.

From a young age, Rashid loved aviation. He was very interested in how planes worked. He collected models of different aircraft and jets. He went to St Patrick's High School, Karachi.

Rashid's father was a civil engineer. He wanted Rashid to study engineering too. But Rashid had other plans for his future. In 1968, he joined the PAF Public School Lower Topa. This school trains future Air Force officers. He then completed his military training. This happened at the Pakistan Air Force Academy in 1969.

Final Flight and Heroic Act

Grave of Rashid Minhas in Karachi

After joining the Air Force, Rashid Minhas began training to become a pilot. On August 20, 1971, he was getting ready for a training flight. He was in a T-33 Shooting Star jet trainer. This was his second solo flight in this type of plane.

As he was moving the jet towards the runway, something unexpected happened. A Bengali instructor pilot, Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman, signaled him to stop. Rahman then quickly climbed into the instructor's seat. The jet took off, and Rahman turned it towards India.

Minhas quickly radioed PAF Base Masroor. He sent a message saying his plane was being hijacked. The air controller asked him to repeat the message. Minhas confirmed that the plane was being taken over. Later investigations showed that Rahman wanted to take the jet to India. He planned to join his friends in the Bangladesh Liberation War.

While in the air, Rashid Minhas bravely fought back. He struggled to take control of the plane from Rahman. Both men tried to overpower each other. They used the flight controls that were linked together. About 32 miles from the Indian border, the jet crashed near Thatta. Both men died in the crash.

Legacy and Honors

After his death, Rashid Minhas was honored as a national hero. He was given Pakistan's highest military award, the Nishan-e-Haider. He became the youngest person and the only member of the Pakistan Air Force to receive this award.

To remember him, the Pakistan Air Force base at Kamra was renamed PAF Base Minhas. It is often called Minhas-Kamra. In Karachi, a major road was named after him. It is called 'Rashid Minhas Road'. In December 2003, Pakistan Post issued a two-rupee postage stamp with his image.

Awards and Decorations

See also

• Major Aziz Bhatti
• Squadron leader Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui