LAHORE: Pakistan observed Air Force Day on Monday with ceremonies, tributes and commemorative events held across the country, as the armed forces and the political leadership recalled the air battles of the 1965 war and the pilots credited with defending the country’s frontiers, sovereignty and airspace.
The centrepiece of the day remains the action attributed to Squadron Leader M.M. Alam, who according to the Pakistan Air Force’s own account shot down five enemy aircraft on this date during the 1965 conflict, four of them within a span of 30 seconds. The Air Force describes the engagement as a singular record in the history of air combat. In a parallel account carried in official commemorative material, the feat is recorded as five aircraft downed within a single minute over the Sargodha sector.
The day’s tributes also recalled the raid on the Pathankot airbase led by Air Commodore Sajjad Haider, in which several enemy aircraft were reported destroyed on the ground.
A formal ceremony was held at the mausoleum of Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed, Nishan-e-Haider. Air Vice Marshal Akhtar Imran Sadozai, Air Officer Commanding Southern Air Command, attended as chief guest, offered Fateha and laid a floral wreath on behalf of the Chief of the Air Staff. A smartly turned-out contingent of the Pakistan Air Force presented a salute in tribute to the young officer, who gave his life in the defence of the country and holds a permanent place in Pakistan’s military history.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in his Air Force Day message that September 7, 1965 was a historic day of extraordinary courage and unmatched professional skill for the PAF, and that the valour of Squadron Leader M.M. Alam remains a golden and unforgettable chapter of Pakistan’s military history. He said Alam destroyed five enemy aircraft in a matter of moments, and that the entire nation takes pride in the force’s capabilities.
The minister said the guardians of the country’s air frontiers remain alert and ready at all times, and that the sacrifices of martyrs and veterans have made the defence of the country impregnable. He described the spirit of service and patriotism among PAF officers and airmen as worthy of emulation, adding that Air Force Day renews the memory of those sacrifices and that the nation will always remember its heroes.
Speaker Punjab Assembly Muhammad Ahmad Khan, speaking to the media in the provincial capital, paid tribute to martyrs and national heroes. He said Pakistan has the example of sons such as Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, while national heroes like M.M. Alam brought the country recognition through their performance, a chapter still recounted as a bright page of history.
He said India imposed the 1965 war with the intention of conquering Pakistan, but the armed forces pushed the Indian army back and India faced a clear defeat. The war, he said, continued for 17 days and concluded through negotiations and the Tashkent Declaration. He added that the events of the 1971 war are also part of national history, and that Pakistan has been fighting terrorism continuously for the past three decades, a war in which more than 125,000 people have laid down their lives.
Students and young children, worshippers in mosques and pilgrims visiting shrines were all targeted, the Speaker said, adding that Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war against terrorism are unmatched and that Defence Day is a reminder of them. He also said evidence exists of propaganda and influence operations against Pakistan under fifth-generation warfare, making it necessary to strengthen national unity and the spirit of national defence.
Commemorative material circulated on the occasion described September 7 as a landmark day of courage and honour, noting that the tradition of training and bravery established in 1965 continues, and citing the 2025 engagement in which, according to Pakistani official accounts, the air force inflicted a 6-0 defeat on India. The claim, as with other operational accounts of that engagement, rests on statements issued by Pakistani authorities.
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