Air Marshal Malik Nur Khan dies

[SBD-3]

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعون&#1614 May his soul rest in eternal peace in Jannat ul Firdus AAmin.

 

[Doctor09]

(إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعون&#1614

 

[baqai]

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعون&#1614

 

[air marshal]

May almighty Allah rest his soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude, ameen!

(إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعون&#1614

 

[araz]

A sad loss. Rest in peace. You will be missed.
Araz

 

[Leader]

Just heared that Air Marshal(retd.) Malik Nur Khan have passed away.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعون&#1614

sad....may he find eternal peace.

 

[AUz]

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعون&#1614

One of the finest Air commander of the sub-continent dies. His services will never be forgotten. May Allah grant him Jannah..Ameen.

 

[Pakistanisage]

RIP our brave Warrior.

Condolences to the Family and my friend Mansur Khan ( Nur Khan's Son).

(إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ

 

[jawadqamar]

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعون&#1614

He indeed was a great hero of the nation who served his motherland with best of his capacity & power.

May Allah bless both of them with eternal peace, forgiveness and Haven and also give his family the strength to bear this tragic loss . Ameen

 

[Najam Khan]

May Allah bless his soul, he was a great soldier and a visionary leader.

Air Marshal (Retd.) Nur Khan (22nd Feb, 1923 – 15th Dec 2011)
Posted on December 16, 2011 by Najam Khan

Today Pakistan Air Force (PAF) lost a great visionary leader, a superb commander, devoted soldier and a brilliant mind. Air Marshal Malik Nur Khan was born on 22nd Feb, 1923. He joined Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) in Jan, 1941. During a career that spanned over 28 years, he commanded PAF Bases Risalpur, Chaklala, Peshawar and Mauripur. He also served as Assistance Chief of Air Staff Operations (ACAS Ops).
During his tenure as Managing Director of PIA(1959-1965), he made PIA as Asia’s best airline. Long distance flights and induction of first jet engine airliner, Boeing-707 were also achieved in his time.At the prime of his career as 6th Chief of PAF (23 Jul 1965- 31 Aug 1969) Nur Khan was given the best opportunity to lead PAF in its most crucial times. During 1965 war, he personally visited PAF bases and airfields which were participating in the combat in an F-86 Sabre fighter/bomber aircraft flown by him. Making vital decisions with the Squadron commanders on the field was his biggest quality. It was his visionary leadership that made PAF able to counter all threats from three times bigger enemy.
After the 1965 war, US cut the spares and training to India and Pakistan. This decision was not much hurtful to India, which relied more on Russian arms. For Pakistan, this meant an end to most of its fleet including F-104 and F-86E/F Sabre fighter/bomber aircraft, B-57/RB-57 Bombers, T-37 and Harvad Trainer aircraft and C-130 transport aircraft. Nur Khan and his predecessor Asghar Khan began a new chapter in history of PAF by going to China for the solution. As a result of which, first batch of six F-6 fighter/bomber aircraft were inducted in PAF in December 1965. F-6 remained a mainstay aircraft in PAF for a long time.
It was also Nur Khan who decided to bring a non-US delta winged Mirage fighter/bomber aircraft in PAF. The first batch of six Mirages was delivered to PAF in 1967. Mirage is still a regular member of PAF fleet even after more than 44 years of service. Nur Khan was appointed as MD PIA for the second time in 1973. He also served as Governor of West Pakistan, President of Pakistan Hockey Federation, Pakistan Cricket Board and member of National Assembly from 1985-1988.
Even after his retirement from PAF, Nur Khan was invited to many PAF gatherings and events. He always shared words of wisdom during his lectures and discussions with young officers.
Nur Khan’s legacy will not end with his death. Whole Pakistani nation and especially PAF will always remember this great soldier that played a vital role in making PAF a formidable fighting force.
May Allah bless his soul. Amen!

 

[alimukhtar]

 

[OrionHunter]

Air Marshal Malik Nur Khan was also part of the Pakistani contingent that clashed with the Israeli Air Force during the Six Day War. In fact, the President of Israel, Ezer Weizman, who was also the Commander of the Israeli Air Force and the Minister of Defense of Israel, wrote in his autobiography that: "He was a formidable fellow and I was glad that he was Pakistani and not Egyptian"

RIP.

 

[Devil Soul]

Obituary: National icon Air Marshal M Nur Khan, flies no more
Published: December 16, 2011

ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan on Thursday lost one of its leading icons Air Marshal Malik Nur Khan, who passed away at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi at the age of 88. During a long-spanning career, Nur Khan made the transition from the air force chief (succeeding Air Marshal Asghar Khan in July 1965) to Pakistan International Airlines executive and then sport administrator.

It was under his watch that sports flourished in the country and Pakistani cricketers as well as hockey and squash players distinguished themselves in their fields, earning laurels worldwide. His dynamism and spirit of patronage made the difference.

Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, chief of the air staff, expressed grief over the demise of the PAF legend, recalling how the man who led the Pakistan Air Force achieved parity over the three times bigger Indian Air Force in the 1965 war and was “the beacon of inspiration for all rank and file” of the air force.

He was born on February 22, 1923, in Tamman, Attock district in a family with distinctive military traditions. He joined the Royal Indian Military College (RIMC) at Dehra Dun in 1934, and joined Indian Air Force Volunteer Reserve (IAFVR) during World War II. He was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Royal Indian Air Force on 06 January, 1941.

The man who was widely respected not only for his integrity but also for his razor-sharp intelligence and outstanding management abilities was transferred to the Royal Pakistan Air Force after the creation of Pakistan and was given the command of Lahore Air Base. After a short stint at Lahore, he was entrusted with the command of PAF Base Chaklala. In January, 1948, he proceeded to London and served as a liaison officer in the Pakistan High Commission, after a brief stay, he returned to Pakistan and was posted as Commandant PAF College, Risalpur in September, 1948.

After completing his tenure he was posted to Air Headquarters from January, 1950 to March, 1951, and remained fully involved in the induction of aircraft from the United States. He commanded Peshawar Base in 1955-56 and then commanded PAF Base Mauripur in 1956-57. During this tenure he converted PAF fighter squadrons from piston to jet-engine aircraft.

Later, he served at Air Headquarters before he was appointed as Air Officer Commanding of the first re-organised Operation Group.

He was seconded to PIA in March, 1959 as managing director, where he worked till 21 July, 1965. In February, 1964, he was appointed as chief administrator of civil aviation and tourism. In 1970s, he was again given the charge of PIA as its chairmen in 1973.

In July 1965, Nur Khan was decorated with the rank of air marshal and was appointed as commander-in-chief of PAF. Four years later, the government of Pakistan appointed him as the governor of West Pakistan.

Air Marshal Nur Khan was a highly decorated officer and a recipient of the Hilal-e-Jurat, Sitara-e-Pakistan and Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam. He was also awarded the Order of Istiqlal (2nd Class) by the King of Jordan, and decorated as Commander of the National Order of the Cedars by the president of Lebanon and Grand Officer in the order of Range Nassau with Swords by the Dutch government.

His funeral prayers will be offered at 10:30 am at the PAF Complex cricket ground, Sector E-9 Islamabad and he will be buried with full honours at 4:00pm in his native village Tamman, Chakwal district.
(Read: The art of war)
Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2011.

 

[niaz]

Pakistan lost a formidable son of the soil. May Allah bless his soul.

 

[soul hacker]

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعون&#1614