Farooq Umar

Muhammad Farooq Umar (born 24 July 1941) better known as Farooq Umar, is a retired two-star rank Air Vice-Marshal of the Pakistan Air Force, fighter pilot, airline executive, and author. He served as the Managing Director of the Pakistan International Airlines and 16th President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation from 1993 to 1996.

Born in Lyallpur, Umar graduated from Government College, Lahore. He joined the PAF Academy and was commissioned into the Pakistan Air Force in 1960, after graduating at the top of his course with triple honours, including the Sword of Honour.

During the Indo-Pakistan Air War in 1965, Air Marshal Nur Khan ordered Umar to take his F-104 fighter jet to an altitude above the Indian Air Force base in Amritsar and break the sound barrier over it. Umar successfully accomplished this mission and Khan ordered him to repeat it. Soon thereafter, Indian radio channels began reporting numerous Pakistani F-86 Sabre aircraft attacking the base. These reports also noted the sound of large explosions occurring while in actuality those sounds were the two sonic booms done by Umar.

Early life Muhammad Farooq Umar was born on 24 July 1941 into an Arain Muslim family of Lyallpur. His father, Mian Muhammad Nurullah , was a staunch supporter of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam, and served as the first Finance Minister of Punjab in the cabinet of Chief Minister Iftikhar Hussain Khan Mamdot.

Farooq completed his early education at the Burn Hall School in Abbottabad and was the Captain of both the Athletics team and Cricket team. He held a record for Cycling and won many awards for the school. After graduating in 1957, he enrolled at Government College, Lahore on a sportsman's quota.

During his time as President of the PHF, he revitalised the team and they won both the 1994 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy and the 1994 Men's Hockey World Cup, after a 14-year stagnant period.

Authorship

Awards and decorations Sword of Honour (1960) Best Pilot's Trophy (1960) Academics Trophy (1960) All Round Best Trophy (1960) Best Pilot's Award (1960) Sitara-e-Jurat (1971)

(Star of Courage)1971Sitara-e-Basalat (Star of Valour)Tamgha-e-Basalat (Medal of Valour)Tamgha-e-Diffa (Defence Medal)Kashmir 1965 ClaspKutch 1968 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