Muhammad Nasir Dar

Sqn Ldr Muhammad Nasir Dar (right) with a colleague from the United States Air Force barely a year before his untimely death

Squadron Leader Muhammad Nasir Dar - Sitara-e-Basalat - was a decorated officer of the Pakistan Air Force who died in the line of duty during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Career

Dar was inducted into the Pakistan Air Force and rose to be Squadron Leader at a young age during the late sixties. One of his batch mates Air Chief Marshal Hakimullah rose to be the twelfth Chief of the Pakistan Air Force from 1988-1991. Dar was an officer of a high calibre and was assigned to the Signals branch of the Air Force.

Death in action

During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, Squadron Leader Muhammad Nasir Dar was serving at the Pakistan Air Force base at Sargodha. On the night of 22 December 1971, Dar was the victim of an Indian air raid on his engineering facility. He was undeterred by the attack and continued to work normally beyond the call of duty. During the course of the air raid, both he and his junior colleague Flt Lt Wasim were killed.^[1]

Decoration

Subsequently he was awarded the high award of Sitara-i-Basalat or the Star of Good Conduct^[2] for his act of extreme bravery in the face of certain death.^[3][4][5] He is regarded as one of the legendary falcons of the Pakistan Air Force.

Family

Sqn Ldr Muhammad Nasir Dar left behind his widow Dr Naeema Nasir Dar and three minor children, Khowla, Abrar and Nabeela. His elder daughter was married to Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi in 1990. His son Abrar died in 1991 while his younger daughter Nabeela was married to Dr Asim ur Rehman Khan in 1993.

See also

• Pakistan Air Force
• Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi

References

1. Circumstances leading to the death of Sqn Leader Dar
2. Decorations and Medals of Pakistan
3. Citation of Sqn Leader Muhammad Nasir Dar ,