Mitty Masud

Muhammad Zafar Masud ( ; 17 October 1927 Punjabi family in 1927. His father, Zafar Hussain, was an alumnus of Punjab University and served as a civil officer in the Indian Railways. When his father was appointed as a senior officer of the Railway Board, the family moved to Delhi. In 1957–58, Wg.Cdr. Masud was tasked by Air Cdr-in-C, Air Marshal Asghar Khan, to organize, train, and lead an aerobatics team, the PAF Sherdils, of 16 F-86 Sabre jets that would set a world record, validating the PAF's place among the well-regarded air arms of the world.

1965 War and staff appointments

Gp Capt. Masud's first command assignment was as base commander of Sargodha Air Force Base, from which he would emerge as the top hero of the 1965 war.

In 1965, he actively participated in the second war with India when he led a team of fighter pilots, including Flt. Lt Mervyn Middlecoat, Sqn. Ldr. Cecil Chaudhry, and Sq. Ldr. M. M. Allam, against the Indian Air Force. Gp Capt. Masud flew against the Indian Air Force in the Sargodha Sector with great courage and was regarded as an ace fighter for his ability in dogfights against the Indian pilots.

From 1966 to 1969, Gp Capt. Masud continued his role as a flight instructor with the Air Force and was appointed in the Air AHQ as Director-General of Air Operations (DGAO).

In March 1971, President Yahya Khan finally arrived in Dhaka and chaired a meeting at the Eastern Command HQ, where Air Cdre Masud argued in favor of a political solution, noting that "in the prevailing military imbalance, a semi-autonomous East Pakistan was far preferable to the certainty of a military defeat in the event that India decided to intervene".

On 7 March 1971, Governor East Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan and Eastern Commander Lieutenant-General Yaqub Ali Khan were relieved of their respected posts, leaving to Lieutenant-General Tikka Khan who initiated the massive military crackdown after the raid in the Dhaka University. Air Commodore Masud suffered high-level local defections from his own staff when Group Captain A. K. Khandker and Wing Commander M. K. Bashar escaped to India in May 1971. During Operation Blitzkrieg, Masud refused an order to dispatch an airstrike against armed civilians.

He was married to a German national, Elizabeth, who worked as a technician at Siemens Engineering in 1959; his wife died in 2019. He had one son, Salaar, who became a software engineer. Masud died due to a cardiac arrest in PAF Hospital in Islamabad and is buried at PAF cemetery in Chaklala; the place of burial of his wife is in Karachi.

Awards and decorations

Hilal-e-Jurat (Crescent of Courage)

1965 WarSitara-e-Basalat (Star of Good Conduct)Tamgha-e-Diffa (General Service Medal)Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War (War Star 1965)Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War (War Medal 1965)Pakistan Tamgha (Pakistan Medal)

1947Tamgha-e-Jamhuria (Republic Commemoration Medal)

1956War Medal 1939-1945Order of Independence (Jordan)

Foreign decorations Foreign AwardsWar Medal 1939–1945Order of Independence