Sattar Alvi

Abdus Sattar Alvi (Punjabi, Urdu: ), , is a retired one-star rank air officer and a fighter pilot in the Pakistan Air Force, who is renowned for his gallant actions during the third Indo-Pakistani in 1971, and served as a military advisor in the Syrian Air Force during the Yom Kippur War of 1973.

According to modern sources, in 1974, Alvi shot down the Israeli Air Force's Mirage III over the dogfight took place in Golan Heights in Syria, and was honored for his bravery with gallantry war-time medals by Syrian and Pakistan government. However, no major sources from the time reported on such an incident.

Biography

Sattar Alvi was born in Sammipur, Jalandhar, Punjab, British India in 1944, into a Punjabi family that had the military background. His father was an officer in the British Indian Army who later served in the Pakistan Army. He was educated at the Bannu where he did his matriculation and attended the Emerson College in Multan, Punjab where he secured his graduation. Alvi, who was serving as a flight lieutenant in 1973, joined the Syrian Air Force along with Arif Manzoor. The Pakistani fighter pilots flew in a formation using the call-sign "Shahbaz" under the command of Squadron Leader Arif Manzoor.

Aerial fight over Golan On 26 April 1974, Alvi was flying a SAF MiG-21F-13 (Serial No. 1863) on deputation to No. 67A Squadron, Syrian Air Force (SAF) out of Dumayr Air Base, Syria, in an eight-ship formation with a fellow PAF pilot and the flight leader, Squadron Leader Arif Manzoor. He managed to shoot down an Israeli Mirage III piloted by Captain Lutz, while the wingman quickly disengaged, and Captain Lutz later succumbed to wounds he sustained during ejection.

Post war After the war, Sattar Alvi was promoted to Wing Commander and went on to command PAF's elite Combat Commanders' School and the premier PAF Base Rafiqui. In 1994, he was promoted to Air Commodore and commanded the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) until 1998. He retired as an Air Commodore in 1998 and received an honourable discharge from the air force.

Awards and decorations

Sitara-e-Jurat (Star of Courage)Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military)

(Star of Excellence)Sitara-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 Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam

(100th Birth Anniversary of

Muhammad Ali Jinnah)Hijri Tamgha (Hijri Medal)Jamhuriat Tamgha (Democracy Medal)Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha (Resolution Day

Golden Jubilee Medal)

1990Tamgha-e-Salgirah Pakistan (Independence Day

Golden Jubilee Medal)

1997Order of Bravery (Wisam al Shujaa)Order of Merit (Wisam al Istehqaq)

Foreign Decorations Foreign AwardsOrder of Bravery (Wisam al Shujaa)Order of Merit (Wisam al Istehqaq)