REMEMBERING MY SENIOR SIR RASHID MINHAS

[Slav Defence]

 

[third eye]

The reason I have decided to open this thread is because of uninformed and derogatory comments made by some poster about Sir Rashid Minhas. This person is totally oblivious of the facts and without knowing the facts he has made value judgment on our National Hero who is so highly decorated as well, and for good reason. So I am going to shed some light on the incident in order to dispel some of the myths and misinformation on this incident and share how this tragedy came about.

Sir Rashid Minhas was a year and half my senior at the PAF Academy Risalpur ( Sir Minhas was from 51st GDP and I belonged to 54th GDP). When he graduated from PAF Academy Risalpur in March of 1971, I was promoted to 3rd term. Rashid Minhas was a sweet natured Flight Cadet / Officer and every one loved him for his gentle and friendly nature.

These were very difficult times and we still had course mates and officers/Instructors who were from East Pakistan ( present day Bangladesh ). We treated these Cadets and Officers with Dignity and decorum which was their right being officers in PAF Uniform. Now some people now may claim that it was a mistake, but I would still stand by our conduct because technically these officers were part of us and our Armed Forces. In fact, not one of our Bengali officers or their family members were ever harmed and all of them along their families were returned to Bangladesh honorably and without any harm. On the contrary, our Officers were slaughtered in Bangladesh and their families were dishonored.

Now some would argue that we were wrong in treating our Bengali officers so kindly but I would disagree. We maintained the Spirit de Corp and decorum of our traditions. The result is I still have my Bengali Course mates on my Facebook page as friends and we are still BROTHERS ( Qaiser Hussain, Majed , Nasim, Zain ul Abedin , Moin etc. too many to list). I would also remind all that it was these Pakistan Trained Bengali Officers who three and half years after Bangladesh was created, assassinated Sheikh Mujib urrehman.

Now before the separation in 1971, there were some extremist officers who conspired and sabotaged PAF facilities and the conspiracy to hijack a Pakistani plane was hatched in Masroor Air Force Base Karachi. This is where the incident took place. Five of senior Bengali Officers were part of this conspiracy. Flt. Lt. Matiur rehman volunteered for this dastardly act, since he was a Flight Instructor at No. 2 Squadron where 51st GDP was going thru “ Jet Conversion “ on T-33 ( dual seat jet trainers). They picked Rashid Minhas because they mistook his mild demeanor and gentle manners and thought that would mean that he was cowardly and will not put up much resistence upon Hijacking. Rashid Minhas was being sent on his second solo Flight to make maneuvers in the local flying area and then return to practice touch-and –go takeoffs and Landings.

As you all know Mastan Khan has been trolling making totally uninformed comments about Sir Minhas , all because he has friends whose dads knew somebody who once worked in the Air Force. I mean , get real guy, how ignorant can you be. When make comments about stuff you know nothing about you end up making a fool of yourself as you are about to find out. Mastan Khan says Rashid Minhas broke Air Force law by stopping his aircraft on the taxi track.

NO HE DID NOT. RASHID MINHAS STOPPED THE TRAINER AIRCRAFT BECAUSE THE PAF LAW REQUIRED HIM TO DO SO.

Now I am going to reveal why Sir Minhas stopped the plane. As Minhas started to Taxi to the Active , he was flagged down by Flt. Lt. Matiur rehman to stop the aircraft.

FLT. LT. MATIUR REHMAN WAS THE DESIGNATED FSO ( FLIGHT SAFETY OFFICER ) AT NO. 2 SQUADRON. THAT MEANT THAT HE COULD LEGALLY STOP ANY TRAINER AIRCRAFT FROM NO. 2 SQUADRON , ANYWHERE, TO CHECK THAT SAFETY RULES WERE BEING FOLLOWED. ALSO, ANYONE WHO HAS FLOWN T-33’S IN THE AIR FORCES AROUND THE WORLD WILL TELL YOU THAT MOST PILOTS WILL TAXI THE T-33 AIRCRAFT WITH CANOPY IN UP POSITION ON A HOT AUGUST DAY.

SIR MINHAS STOPPED THE AIRCRAFT ON “ FSO’s “ DIRECTION AS THE PAF RULES REQUIRED HIM TO DO SO. ONCE INSIDE MATIUR REHMAN TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS FROM THE REAR AND TOOK OFF. AS THINGS DAWNED ON THIS VERY YOUNG 20 YEAR OLD OFFICER AS TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING HE MADE THE MAYDAY CALL AND ONCE IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE INSTRUCTOR WAS TRYING TO TAKE THE AIRCRAFT TO INDIA, RASHID MINHAS TRANSFORMED FROM THE MILD MANNERED PILOT OFFICER INTO A TIGER AND FOUGHT BACK WITH ALL HIS MIGHT. IN THE END THERE WAS A TUSSLE IN THE AIRCRAFT OVER THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THOSE MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH T-33, THE SEATS ARE TANDEM ( FRONT AND BACK SEPARATED BY A WALL). EYE WITNESSES ON THE GROUND NEAR THATTA EXPLAINED HOW THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROLLING FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN A WAY THAT APPEARED TO THESE EYE WITNESSES THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS OUT OF CONTROL. OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROLLING FROM SIDE TO SIDE BECAUSE THERE WAS A BATTLE GOING ON IN THE COCKPIT OVER THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILED SIR MINHAS PUSHED DOWN ON THE JOYSTICK MAKING THE AIRCRAFT GO IN A STEEP DIVE EVENTUALLY HITTING THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN POSITION.

THIS GREAT MAN SAVED THE HONOUR OF HIS COUNTRY BY PAYING FOR IT BY HIS LIFE AND I SALUTE THIS GREAT HERO OF OURS. HOW MANY OF US WISHED WE WERE THERE INSTEAD OF HIM TO DO THIS HONOUR. GOD BLESS YOU MY FRIEND, THIS NATION WIL NEVER FORGET YOU.

Thank you for this post.

Helped clear some unasked doubts. Unasked simply out of respect to two departed souls both decorated in their respective nations.

Once a soldier is no more no one has the right to make derogatory remarks about him.

 

[Icarus]

Could it be possible that under the influence, he simply leaned against the throttle that made the air plane to crash? that it was not an intentional crash?

Mati was in control of the aircraft, if he was just leaning against the throttle, Mati could have just taken control of the aircraft himself and taken it to India. It took a conscious effort to wrestle control away from Mati and direct the plane into a nose dive.
Its a trainer so there are two sets of controls from where the instructor can recover the plane from virtually disastrous actions of a novice pilot or put him into such a situation to test his nerve.

 

[Slav Defence]

One of the greatest drama made to honor him.When I was kid,I used to watch this drama and close my eyes when watch him pushing to crash T-33

regards

 

[Paksanity]

Bhai, I am expecting a professional answer for a legitimate question. Planes can crash and be replaced but pilots are not simple to replace. Muti-the-traitor was irrelevant in that scenario. If Minhas could struggle for controls, pulling out ejection seat's handle was perhaps easier and better an option.


Thank you very much for your detailed reply. Though I am of opinion that if Minhas could eject, he should have. Political fiasco was not his headache, it was of Yehya and others who were at the helm and responsible for it.

Life of Rashid Minhas was never in danger. He could end up in India and be taken POW to be repatriated in couple of months. You are right that political fiasco wasn't his headache but this is what separates a hero from a common man. He just couldn't stand the thought of PAF aircraft being a war trophy in an Indian air force base. Nor he could stand to be part of shame of a Pakistani aircraft defecting to India. What went through in his young mind in those fateful minutes will never be known but one thing is for sure; he felt the weight of his nation's dignity on his young shoulders.

To likes of MK, please imagine a tender age of 20 when everything in life looks beautiful. You made it to an elite service of PAF as a fighter pilot and life ahead is full of opportunities. You are living in a city as vibrant and as colorful as Karachi of 1970s. Look at the dressing of Shaheed in his pictures, it tells you a story of a youngman on a path to success. Then suddenly life puts you in a situation, through no fault of yours where you can make it out alive by just going along. Pursue your dreams of a life that lies beautifully ahead of you. No one will blame you for that. Now put yourself in that position and gather the courage to crash that aircraft into ground with your own hands only to save honour of your nation. How many of us can bring ourselves to do that??!!

 

[Pakistanisage]

Thank you for this post.

Helped clear some unasked doubts. Unasked simply out of respect to two departed souls both decorated in their respective nations.

Once a soldier is no more no one has the right to make derogatory remarks about him.

Sir, feel free to ask any technical question. Rashid Minhas exemplary conduct is an open book. Much has been written on this incident and we take great pride in his sacrifice.

 

[syedali73]

Life of Rashid Minhas was never in danger. He could end up in India and be taken POW to be repatriated in couple of months. You are right that political fiasco wasn't his headache but this is what separates a hero from a common man. He just couldn't stand the thought of PAF aircraft being a war trophy in an Indian air force base. Nor he could stand to be part of shame of a Pakistani aircraft defecting to India. What went through in his young mind in those fateful minutes will never be known but one thing is for sure; he felt the weight of his nation's dignity on his young soldiers.

To likes of MK, please imagine a tender age of 20 when everything in life looks beautiful. You made it to an elite service of PAF as a fighter pilot and life ahead is full of opportunities. You are living in a city as vibrant and as colorful as Karachi of 1970s. Look at the dressings of Shaheed in his pictures, it tells you a story of a youngman on a path to success. Then suddenly life puts you in a situation, through no fault of yours where you can make it out alive by just going along. Pursue your dreams of a life that lies beautifully ahead of you. No one will blame you for that. Now put yourself in that position and gather the courage to crash that aircraft into ground with your own hands only to save honour of your nation. How many of us can bring ourselves to do that??!!

Yaar, I am an old person and have already passed through the age of adrenal rush and that is why I can think relatively clearer than when I was a boy. To likes of MK... he is one hell of an inquisitive minded person, a rarity on this forum if you will. He asks questions because he cant stop himself from thinking. Unlike many, he does not take things for granted and that is something I being a researcher admire most. By asking such questions we are not in any way questioning Minhas' dedication and patriotism rather trying to understand what actually happened up there and were alternatives available to him. I am sure in the PAF academy these questions are asked and discussed among the pilot officers.

Now put yourself in that position and gather the courage to crash that aircraft into ground with your own hands only to save honour of your nation. How many of us can bring ourselves to do that??!!

Call me coward if you wish to but I would have not done that realizing that my country has spent lots of resources on my training and crashing the jet while dying in the process is perhaps not the most correct way of paying back to my nation. I would have not liked to become a POW but if I could eject, I would have. I would live to fight and die some other day for my country.

 

[Slav Defence]

Thread has been set as featured,so that people can ask question and gain from one of the closest friend of Rashid Minhas shaheed @Pakistanisage

regards

 

[Pakistanisage]

Could it be possible that under the influence, he simply leaned against the throttle that made the air plane to crash? that it was not an intentional crash?

Not really. The final crash was witnessed by civilians near Thatta and their description is consistent with a great battle that was taking place in the cockpit. They described that the aircraft was flying at great speed and being thrashed from side to side and then it suddenly went into a nose dive.

One thing is evident from all this and that is the tussle which was taking place between two pilots who wanted two different destinations for this aircraft.

 

[N/A]

Aeronaut: "Bluebird-166 is Hijacked"

Wonderful blog by Air Commodore Kasier Tufail regarding the Rahid Minhas Shaheed saga. Throughly explains events leading up to the incident and the fallout in great depth. It may answer questions people have regarding the incident. Captivating read to say the least.

 

[Shamain]

Life of Rashid Minhas was never in danger. He could end up in India and be taken POW to be repatriated in couple of months. You are right that political fiasco wasn't his headache but this is what separates a hero from a common man. He just couldn't stand the thought of PAF aircraft being a war trophy in an Indian air force base. Nor he could stand to be part of shame of a Pakistani aircraft defecting to India. What went through in his young mind in those fateful minutes will never be known but one thing is for sure; he felt the weight of his nation's dignity on his young soldiers.

To likes of MK, please imagine a tender age of 20 when everything in life looks beautiful. You made it to an elite service of PAF as a fighter pilot and life ahead is full of opportunities. You are living in a city as vibrant and as colorful as Karachi of 1970s. Look at the dressings of Shaheed in his pictures, it tells you a story of a youngman on a path to success. Then suddenly life puts you in a situation, through no fault of yours where you can make it out alive by just going along. Pursue your dreams of a life that lies beautifully ahead of you. No one will blame you for that. Now put yourself in that position and gather the courage to crash that aircraft into ground with your own hands only to save honour of your nation. How many of us can bring ourselves to do that??!!

But how can it be a war trophy? It was a hijacked or as u said defected jet by a bengali traitor. And there was no war going on between india and pakistan going on.

As in if the jet had landed there, wouldnt under some intl law india wud have been bound to return it?

And what mutti wud have gotten by landing the craft in india?

And if india ever chose to brag abt this jet as war trophy then that showed her own cowardice that allowing a defector land on her soil is taken as an achievement by her.

Lastly, it was a trainer jet. Not a fighter.

But i honestly dont get what political fiasco wud have happened. Imean its not that paf fighting capabilities wud have been lost if one trainer jet was taken ito enemy territory. Or the morales wud have dropped.

I always thought sir rashid did it to prevent some classified info from being leaked out, but i dont know its said it was honor.

 

[Tayyab1796]

Sir, feel free to ask any technical question. Rashid Minhas exemplary conduct is an open book. Much has been written on this incident and we take great pride in his sacrifice.

Also a very strong symbolic message goes to every solider/fighter that we prefer death with dignity then live with shame. Its not just a 20 year old trainee wrestling for the control of his aircraft to save his honor. Through this feat of courage and bravery he told the world 'we' will die but we will not surrender.

 

[third eye]

I would have not done that realizing that my country has spent lots of resources on my training and crashing the jet while dying in the process is perhaps not the most correct way of paying back to my nation. I would have not liked to become a POW but if I could eject, I would have. I would live to fight and die some other day for my country.

Such thoughts do not cross your mind when in such situations.

Sir, feel free to ask any technical question. Rashid Minhas exemplary conduct is an open book. Much has been written on this incident and we take great pride in his sacrifice.

I have not been a flier hence the doubt.

A FSO on the tarmac .. is this regular ?

 

[JonAsad]

Why Minhas did not eject? Could he? Perhaps Muti-the-traitor was not donning parachute and would have ended up in hell (not that he did not already) while Minhas had lived to fight for another day.

go ask the dead man this-
also ask him why he didnt let the traitor take the plane to indian- he would have lived to fight for another day as well-

 

[syedali73]

go ask the dead man this-
also ask him why he didnt let the traitor take the plane to indian- he would have lived to fight for another day as well-

Because your sentences did not begin with 'please', I understand you are taunting at me. Well, we Pakistanis are generally emotional hence get beaten up easily. I will not blame you my friend.