Air Commodore Sajad Haider

Sayed Sajad Haider (died 3 January 2025), nicknamed Nosy Haider was the son of Fazal Hussain Shah

Initially, his family resided in the Bugti House before moving to a small tin-roofed home within a complex of eight homes constructed by the father of Akbar Bugti, Nawab Mehran Khan Bugti. A close friend of his father, Mehran Khan gifted him two of the homes. Following this transition, Haider grew up close to Akbar Bugti and other Bugti siblings. He recalled Akbar Bugti being a "stunning and fearsome person," who always referred to him as chapeit or "scrawny boy". Akbar's younger brother, Ahmed Nawaz Bugti, would bring Haider with him every day to learn how to drive.

During a meeting, Jinnah once asked him, "Why didn't you become President of the Muslim League in Balochistan yourself? Why did you allow Qazi Muhammad Isa to take the position?" Fazal Shah replied, "I am not interested in power but in the results of the prime mission. Furthermore, Qazi Muhammad Isa is a local of Balochistan, while I am an outsider." and the youngest, Jawwad Haider.

Service years

During his second year at the FC College, he was selected to join the 13th GD(P) Course at the RPAF College in December 1951. He later reflected on being an average student who barely scraped through the 1½ year course. However, shortly after earning his pilot wings, he rose to the top of his course within months, despite starting in the middle during training and was commissioned into the Royal Pakistan Air Force on 11 June 1953. Flying in the No. 3 position, Flight Lieutenant Haider was part of the Falcons aerobatic team led by Wing Commander Mitty Masud which set a world record by performing a 16-aircraft diamond loop in F-86 Sabres.

The same year, Haider was the youngest and first to receive the Golden Eagle Award after the Partition of British India, for being an exceptional fighter pilot.

The strike on Pathankot was a mission that underscored Haider's strategic acumen and the unwavering resolve of his squadron. The PAF played an integral role in hindering the Indian land forces' advance, particularly in the Wagah sector. Despite the historical significance of these events, he noted that they are often overlooked in war narratives.

The following day, Squadron Leader Haider was summoned by his base commander who provided a letter that contained Instruction Orders, directing No. 19 Sqn to conduct a reconnoitre at Avantipura airfield, Strafe any targets, and then go to Srinagar to hit any parked aircraft. Flight Commander "Mo" Akbar, was directed to put three pilots for the mission together. The team consisted of Arshad Sami Khan, Rao Akhtar, and Khalid Latif. A Hi-Lo-Hi profile was worked out to avoid radar detection by climbing to 20,000 ft near Nanga Parbat.

Sitara-e-Jurat

His Sitara-e-Jurat citation reads: "Squadron Leader Syed Sajjad Haider displayed exceptional leadership, courage and flying skill in the operations against the enemy during the Indo-Pak War. He destroyed four enemy aircraft, eleven enemy tanks and damaged three tanks. Throughout the operations, his attitude both on the ground and in the air was exemplary. He infused his pilots with aggressiveness. The strike mission which he led on 6th September 1965, against Pathankot airfield, where his formation destroyed 13 enemy aircraft including two MIG-21's, was conducted in the best traditions of the Pakistan Air Force. The formation carried out repeated attacks in the face of heavy ack-ack. For the determination, courage and exceptional flying skill with which he flew and led his squadron during operations against the enemy. Squadron Leader Syed Sajjad Haider, is awarded SJ."

War of 1971 After serving as Commander No. 14 Sqn (stationed at PAF Base Dacca) from April 1969 to November 1970,

He was offered a deal to get out early by two officials of the Air Intelligence, CA Waheed and Sibtain, who he referred to as Gestapo rats, in exchange for a false confessional statement against Zulfiqar Ali Khan in front of a magistrate, which Haider refused to do.

The 14 air force officials were tried at PAF Camp Badaber on 27 July 1973 in a General Court Martial headed by Air Vice Marshal Chaudhry Rab Nawaz where Haider and others were exonerated. The court members also observed that the case against Group Captains Sajjad Haider and Sattar Chaudhry was merely a personal vendetta driven by the sitting Chief of Air Staff Zafar Chaudhry.

The Verdict read:

Group Captain Haider was part of the greeting committee which welcomed Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on his visit to Washington, D.C. on 4 February 1975. They met Bhutto at Andrews AFB and proceeded to the President's Guest House before attending a private dinner at the residence of Sahabzada Yaqub Khan, the Pakistani Ambassador to the United States.

Accused of Insulting The Shah of Iran In 1974, the Vice President of a major Fortune 400 company approached Haider to request his Swiss bank account number. He quickly declined the unethical offer and asked the American to leave and stated, "Get out of my office, I'll have your company blacklisted." His strong response led to the company's president visiting Haider's office. He apologised for the Vice President's action and said that he would be dismissed for attempted bribery.

In front of the entire gathering, Haider stated:Mr. President, Pakistanis seem to live in a constant state of foreboding and terror of the intelligence agencies. These intelligence agencies have never told the truth, as it is not in their culture to do so, nor are they telling the truth to you about the state of the hearts and minds of the nation. Are these hearts beating for Pakistan or from the fear of getting lashed in public or thrown in dirty cells with convicts on the mere suspicion of being dissenters? These agencies have carefully crafted the fall of every government. What is to stop them from doing the same to your government?

Sir, the road from the airport to the Aiwan-e-Sadr does not reflect the soul of Pakistan; which, in fact, lurks in the dark and pitted backstreets of Pakistan. But these agencies would not suggest that you take a peek there and see the real state of the wretched Pakistani nation. The press, Mr. President, is stifled, and people are petrified to speak their distressed minds.

I have worn this uniform with incredible pride and never hesitated to put my life on the line for the defence of my country. Tragically, I do not feel the same sense of pride as I did a decade ago when people almost kissed our hands when they saw us in uniform in a public place. Today, the tables have turned. People have visible contempt for us and our uniform. Since, in some small way, I share the responsibility of this metamorphosis, I do not feel proud wearing this uniform anymore.

Mr. President, I live in Islamabad, and every day my exit from GHQ brings me on an intercept course with the Corps Commander also going home. But there is a difference. The gallant men of God, who are under oath to defend the people, the property, and the frontiers of this country, travel with outriders on motorcycles; red beacons flashing and sirens screaming to herald the approaching cavalcade. In the meanwhile, all citizens on foot or in transports at the T-junction from GHQ to the old President House are shooed off the road to clear the path for the defenders of Pakistan. This is not the way defenders should conduct themselves amongst their own people. I think that we have ceased to sense their ire that ordinary citizens feel at such intimidation." Recalling his final four claimed kills, Alam stated that after executing a "270-degree turn at around 12 degrees per second... four Hunters had been shot down." and historian John Fricker, admit the difficulty of verifying the event, especially since only two wrecked aircraft were found near Sangla Hill. The aircraft were piloted by Squadron Leader Sureshchandra Bhaksar Bhagwat and Flying Officer Jagdev Singh Brar, who were burnt beyond recognition. Indian aviation historian Pushpindar Singh Chopra and F-86 Sabre enthusiast Duncan Curtis agree with this account and credit Alam with these kills. Similarly, Haider referred to Alam as the "undisputed ace of PAF". The fact that no verifiable gun camera footage of all his kills was ever made public by the Pakistani authorities further casts doubt on Alam's claim.

Reviewing Cecil Chaudhry's Claimed Aviation Feats In 2020, appearing as a guest in a podcast hosted by military historian (Retd) Major Agha H Amin, Sajad Haider revealed that Kaiser Tufail falsely told the Indian Air Force to credit Cecil Chaudhry instead of Yunus Hussain for shooting down Indian pilot A.R. Gandhi's Hawker Hunter during the Indo-Pakistani air war of 1965. Haider's Indian counterpart confirmed that Yunus had originally been credited before Tufail approached him. When Haider questioned Tufail on the lie, he said he wanted Cecil to be credited because Cecil was his senior. Haider also added that Cecil had been lying his whole life and claiming Yunus' success for his own for 40 years. He further stated that the lie was concocted in order to glorify Sargodha pilots.

Political views Writing for Dawn in 2009, he wrote that the Americans coerced President Ayub Khan to let them establish a spy base at Badaber in Peshawar where Lockheed U-2 fighter planes operated from. This to Haider was the beginning of Pakistanis taking American dictation, "We traded our sovereignty for preservation of a dictator and we've never looked back. The Americans have always let down Pakistan," he said.

Defence Analyst In 2019, Haider was one of 26 former Pakistani military officers who were allowed by the Inter-Services Public Relations to appear as defence analysts on Pakistani television.

2023 Islamabad Police incident In 2023, he was holding a placard in support of Imran Khan when Islamabad Police approached him and asked him to vacate the spot where he was standing, an incident that Indian news website ThePrint described as the manhandling of Haider. Describing the incident, some social media users referred to his role during the India–Pakistan war of 1965 as "Saviour of Lahore & Pakistan".

Commemorations In several noteworthy endorsements, various individuals, including Pushpinder Singh Chopra, stated that, "Sajad Haider is the real and forever hero of the 1965 air war."

Awards and decorations Top Gun Fighter Leaders' School Sword; (Instructor and Flight Commander) Golden Eagle Award (1958) Caterpillar Club (1961) Sitara-e-Jurat (1965) (6) Green Endorsements

PAF GD(P) Badge RED (More than 3000 Flying Hours)Golden Eagle Award (Pakistan)(Exceptional Fighter Pilot)(Youngest and the first post-partition to be awarded)1958Sitara-e-Jurat (Star of Courage)

1965 WarTamgha-e-Qayam-e-Jamhuria (Republic Commemoration Medal)

1956Tamgha-e-Diffa (Defence Medal)

1965 War Clasp 1971 War ClaspSitara-e-Harb 1965 War (War Star 1965)Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War (War Star 1971)Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War (War Medal 1965)Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War (War Medal 1971)Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e-Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam (100th Birth Anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah)

1976Hijri Tamgha (Hijri Medal)

1979