912:
to a defect and stopped firing. However, Rafiqui refused to leave the battle area which he would have been perfectly justified to do; instead he ordered his No. 2 to take over as leader and continue the engagement while he tried to give the formation as much protection as was possible with an unarmed aircraft. This called on the part of
Squadron Leader Rafiqui. The end for him was never in doubt but he chose to disregard it and, in the process, his aircraft was shot down and he was killed but not before enabling his formation to shoot down 3 more Hunter aircraft. Rafiqui’s conduct was clearly beyond the call of duty and conformed to the highest traditions of leadership and bravery in battle against overwhelming odds. For this and his earlier exploits, he is awarded Hilal-i-Jurat and Sitara-i-Jurat.
616:, Gandhi managed to get behind Rafiqui, but failed to score any hits. Minutes later, Gandhi was shot down by Cecil as he came to Rafiqui's aid. Since the formation was low on fuel and daylight, along with Rafiqui's jammed guns, they decided to head back to base, but were suddenly bounced by two more IAF Hunters (flown by Flight Lieutenant D. N. Rathore and Flighy Officer V. K. Neb). Rathore attacked Rafiqui, while Neb engaged Younas. In the ensuing dogfight, both Rafiqui and Younas were shot down, while Cecil Chaudhry managed to escape. Rathore, who had ambushed Rafiqui, scored several hits on Rafiqui's Sabre, which suddenly banked sharply to the left and then crashed into the ground near the village of Heren, which was around six miles away from
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596:(Alam had shot down one of them, while the rest managed to escape). Rafiqui's formation continued on and reached the Halwara base in the evening, where the remaining three Hunters from the earlier encounter with MM Alam's formation were taxiing after landing. Just as Rafiqui was positioning himself for a
911:
On 6 September 1965, Squadron Leader
Sarfaraz Ahmad Rafiqui led a formation of 3 F-86 aircraft on a strike against Halwara airfield. The formation was intercepted by about 10 Hunter aircraft out of which Squadron Leader Rafiqui accounted for one in the first few seconds. But then his guns jammed due
543:
India acknowledged losing four aeroplanes, all
Vampires, flown by Squadron Leader Aspi Kekobad Bhagwagar (flight leader), Flight Lieutenant Vijay Madhav Joshi (element leader), Flight Lieutenant Satish Bharadwaj (element wingman) and Flight Lieutenant (later Group Captain) Shrikrishna Vishnu Phatak
604:
intercepted his formation. Rafiqui quickly aborted his strafing run and engaged
Pingale. He manoeuvred behind the Hunter and shot it down. Rafiqui then engaged Gandhi's Hunter, scoring several hits on the enemy plane, when suddenly his Sabre's machine guns jammed. He then radioed
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to Indian forces in the area. These 26 planes flying in finger-four formation strafed
Pakistani positions and attacked Pakistani tanks and ground targets. The
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The
Government of Pakistan awarded 77 acres of prime agriculture land, which was bequeathed by Rafiqui's parents to the Sarfraz Rafiqui Welfare Trust.
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532:. Rafiqui had taken on the flight leader and wingman while Bhatti went after an element leader and element wingman.
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On 6 September 1965, in response to India's invasion of
Pakistan, the Pakistan Air Force launched an aggressive
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campaign on several Indian Air Force stations. Sarfaraz
Rafiqui was tasked to lead a formation of three
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520:
to intercept them. Though heavily outnumbered, the two pilots engaged the
Indians and in the ensuing
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548:. This dogfight was a major blow to the IAF; it had to remove all Vampires from frontline service.
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is also named after him. At PAF Base
Peshawar, the road on which the Rear Air Headquarters and
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The News International (newspaper), Published 6 September 2019, Retrieved 6 October 2021
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544:(wingman). Both PAF pilots were credited with two victories each and were awarded the
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run, two IAF Hunters (flown by Flight Officers P. S. Pingale and A. R. Ghandhi) on
396:) on 18 July 1935. He had three brothers and a sister. He started his education at
651:, was renamed as PAF Base Rafiqui in his honour. One of the largest roads of the
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Wreckage of one of the IAF De Havilland Vampires shot down by Rafiqui or Bhatti
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Rafiqui was posthumously awarded the Hilal-e-Jurat and the Sitara-e-Jurat.
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as his number 3. The formation took off from Sargodha and headed towards
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Dawn (newspaper), Published 16 November 2009, Retrieved 6 October 2021
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Dawn (newspaper), Published 5 September 2009, Retrieved 6 October 2021
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477:
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1080:"Birth Anniversary of Sq. Ld. Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui being observed"
880:
For his bold leadership displayed over Halwara, Rafiqui was awarded
632:. According to reports, Rafiqui is buried in an unmarked grave near
584:'s formation, which was returning from an aborted raid on the IAF's
609:
and said, "Cecil, my guns have stopped firing, you have the lead."
376:(Star of Courage) military awards from the Government of Pakistan.
534:
424:
Inspired by his elder brother "Ijaz Rafique", Sarfaraz joined the
415:
109:
1036:"Heroes - Pakistan Air Force (profile of Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui)"
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in response to a call for help from the Indian Army. The IAF's
404:
in 1948. With the transfer of his father to Karachi, he joined
1113:
1111:
663:
are located is named Rafiqui Lane in honour of the war hero.
1098:"PAF 1965 war hero: Meeting Rtd Air Commodore Imtiaz Bhatti"
655:
is named Sarfaraz Rafiqui Road, and Rafiqui Shaheed Road in
1236:
Sqn Ldr Sarfraz Ahmed Rafiqui HJ, SJ | Shaheed of 1965 War
588:. Alam informed them about his encounter with four Indian
356:
who is known for his gallant actions in two of the aerial
1176:
1174:
580:. On the way, the formation met up with Squadron Leader
1069:
Fearlesswarriors.pk website, Retrieved 6 October 2021
1005:
GlobalSecurity.com website, Retrieved 6 October 2021
624:
by the Pakistan Air Force, but after his absence in
451:(Present day Bangladesh). In 1963, he was posted at
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628:after the war, the PAF officially declared him as
488:) to slow down the Pakistan Army's XII Division's
982:"SQN LDR SARFARAZ AHMED RIAFIQUI (HILAL-E-JURAT)"
647:The Pakistan Air Force's third largest air base,
612:While Rafiqui was positioning himself as Cecil's
893:
508:(PAF) scrambled two F-86 Sabres, flown by S/L
1477:D. J. Sindh Government Science College alumni
1447:Pakistani military personnel killed in action
1256:
1163:Air Commodore Kaiser Tufail (2 August 2021).
891:His Hilal-i-Jur'at citation read as follows:
400:, matriculating from Government High School,
8:
1003:Profile and awards of Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui
1030:
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1263:
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1472:St. Anthony's High School, Lahore alumni
1452:Pilots of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
884:, the second highest gallantry award of
732:
472:On the evening of 1 September 1965, the
459:which he would command until his death.
27:Military aviator of Pakistan (1935-1965)
969:
1015:
1013:
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572:as his number 2 and Flight Lieutenant
552:Halwara airstrike and subsequent death
428:'s 13th GDP course and graduated from
406:D. J. Sindh Government Science College
1208:Another road closed in Peshawar Cantt
7:
1183:"PAF loses one of its finest pilots"
1142:"Aeronaut: Theirs But to Do and Die"
1062:
1060:
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1467:Pakistani people of Bengali descent
1442:Aviators killed by being shot down
661:Fazaia Degree School & College
480:Sector by sending 26 aircraft (12
384:Sarfraz Ahmed Rafiqui was born in
25:
1067:Profile of Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui
1040:Pakistan Air Force Museum website
568:, with Flight Lieutenant Khawaja
435:In 1962, he was appointed as the
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61:Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Rafiqui
1220:Sarfaraz Rafiqui, the lionheart
901:Sqn Ldr Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui
398:St. Anthony High School, Lahore
132:St. Anthony High School, Lahore
1144:. Kaiser-aeronaut.blogspot.com
862:(Republic Commemoration Medal)
370:(Crescent of Courage) and the
1:
1482:People from Rajshahi District
1185:. PakDef.info. Archived from
1462:Recipients of Hilal-i-Jur'at
1457:Recipients of Sitara-e-Jurat
1272:Recipients of Sitara-e-Jurat
528:, each pilots shot down two
1437:Pakistani military aviators
1432:Pakistan Air Force officers
1020:Tribute: Masters of the sky
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512:of No. 5 Squadron and F/L
362:Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
271:Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
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586:Adampur Air Force Station
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516:of No. 15 Squadron from
476:(IAF) intervened in the
426:Royal Pakistan Air Force
88:(Present-day Bangladesh)
1181:Gp Capt SULTAN M HALI.
876:Hilal-i-Jur'at citation
797:(General Service Medal)
500:was ordered to provide
1381:Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui
1165:"Brave Heart: Rafiqui"
1124:"Brave Heart: Rafiqui"
914:
838:Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War
819:Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War
675:Awards and decorations
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468:Air battle over Chhamb
421:
340:Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui
150:Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui
41:Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui
1346:Muhammad Mahmood Alam
743:(Crescent of Courage)
582:Muhammad Mahmood Alam
538:
530:de Havilland Vampires
482:de Havilland Vampires
419:
201:Years of service
1140:(20 November 2008).
564:to strike the IAF's
420:Sarfaraz in his 20s.
281:Operation Grand Slam
1351:Mukhtar Ahmad Dogar
1307:Abdul Jalil Orakzai
1104:. 6 September 2016.
958:Joseph C. McConnell
906:5 SQUADRON PAK/1429
443:which was based in
1376:Samad Ali Changezi
1316:Ghulam Jilani Khan
992:on 1 October 1999.
986:DefenceJournal.com
626:prisoner exchanges
620:. He was declared
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506:Pakistan Air Force
455:to lead the PAF's
437:Officer Commanding
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286:Halwara Airstrikes
276:Air war operations
195:Pakistan Air Force
1409:
1408:
1391:Shahid Karimullah
1361:Raja Nadir Pervez
1336:Mervyn Middlecoat
1326:Naseerullah Babar
1189:on 15 August 2002
1167:. Second To None.
1126:. Second To None.
1122:(2 August 2021).
873:
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857:Tamgha-e-Jamhuria
769:(Star of Courage)
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653:Lahore Cantonment
640:Honors and legacy
622:missing in action
602:Combat Air Patrol
518:PAF Base Sargodha
502:close air support
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16:(Redirected from
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988:. Archived from
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843:(War Medal 1965)
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352:was a Pakistani
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1086:. 18 July 2020.
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441:No. 14 Squadron
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1422:1935 births
1386:Sattar Alvi
1366:Saiful Azam
1331:Nazir Latif
562:F-86 Sabres
498:45 Squadron
486:Mystere IVs
360:during the
155:Nickname(s)
1416:Categories
964:References
849:Posthumous
830:Posthumous
811:Posthumous
782:Posthumous
756:Posthumous
594:Tarn Taran
394:Bangladesh
380:Early life
163:Allegiance
147:Birth name
123:, Pakistan
73:1935-07-18
1193:29 August
1045:6 October
896:CITATION
558:airstrike
490:offensive
432:in 1953.
358:dogfights
204:1953–1965
1102:Dawn.com
917:See also
886:Pakistan
803:1965 War
775:1965 War
749:1965 War
598:strafing
522:dogfight
492:against
463:1965 War
386:Rajshahi
250:Commands
230:PAK/1429
181:Service/
175:Pakistan
81:Rajshahi
657:Karachi
634:Halwara
618:Halwara
614:wingman
578:Halwara
494:Akhnoor
484:and 14
439:of the
292:†
106:Halwara
18:Rafiqui
1148:12 May
526:Chhamb
478:Chhamb
402:Multan
307:Awards
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805:Clasp
592:over
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110:India
1195:2022
1150:2012
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867:1956
236:Unit
209:Rank
158:Mani
95:Died
67:Born
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