Daily Times

Sir: Reports in the media have recently highlighted a little known aspect about the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who has quite appreciably commended the important role which the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is playing in eliminating the scourge of terrorism from the country.

The Prime Minister is reported to have said these appreciative words while talking to the officers and airmen of the PAF, at the Mushaf Air Base in Sargodha. This came after he had taken part in a training exercise mission in the sophisticated F-16 multi-role aircraft of the force. The Premier of the country expressed his satisfaction with the incredible reputation the PAF has attained amongst the modern air forces of the world, and also appreciated the high morale of the aerial defenders of the motherland, as well as the operational readiness of the PAF.

Thus, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ,it may be pointedly mentioned here, has earned the singular honour of becoming the first Prime Minister of any country in the region to have participated in a flying mission, while seated in the rear cockpit of a fighter jet capable of flying beyond supersonic speed.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is a trained pilot, and has even been an instructor for learner pilots, in the past. He is the proud son of the late Khaqan Abbasi, who was also an Air Commodore in the PAF and is regarded as one of the pioneers of the modern PAF. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Suhail Aman, who also flew another F-16 aircraft during the exercise, duly appreciated the flying skills of the Prime Minister, congratulating him on creating a new record by flying a fighter aircraft while serving as the Prime Minister of a nation.

It is needless to mention here that the Prime Minister focused most of his speech and subsequent remarks on talking about the PAF, as he was actually visiting an air base, but in doing so, the Chief Executive of the country certainly did not mean to undermine in any manner, the equally important role which the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy play, alongside the PAF, to rid the motherland of the menace of militancy, extremism and terrorism in all their manifestations. The performance of the Armed Forces of Pakistan, in defending the ideological and territorial frontiers of Pakistan hardly needs to be mentioned or highlighted, as all this is not only common knowledge amongst the people of the country, but also recognized and appreciated the world over. We are all genuinely and equally proud of all the ranks of the Army, Air Force and Navy personnel.

MUHAMMAD MURTAZA ZEESHAN

Lahore

Published in Daily Times, July 25^th 2018.