AIR Commodore M.M. Alam was awarded Sitara-i-Jurrat twice for valour in air combat during the 1965 war with India. He was a squadron leader at that time.

In the first air battle with Indian Air Force fighters exiting after attacking PAF Sargodah Air Base on Sept 7, 1965, he shot down five IAF Hunter fighters in one minute. He shot two of them with Sidewinder missiles and three with canon fire.

Soon after he shot down four IAF Mystere fighters. By destroying nine enemy fighters, he became an air ace and an icon for PAF fighter pilots. A day earlier he had led an attack on the well-defended IAF Halwara Air Base, but was intercepted by several Indian Hunter fighters.

Having shot down one Hunter he broke engagement and returned with his formation of four Saber jets. While over the Indian territory he warned Squadron Leader Sarfraz Rafaqui, who was on his way to attack Halwara with only three F-86 Sabre jets, that he must watch several IAF fighters over Halwara.

A lesser man would have turned about. But the dashing Rafiqui in the highest tradition of Pakistan Air Force pressed on with the attack. The three PAF fighters were intercepted by several IAF Hunters. In the unequal air combat, the guns of Rafiqui’s Saber jet jammed. He asked Flight Lieutenant Cecil Choudhry to take over the command, but did not break away to exit. His crippled F-86 Sabre was shot down by Indian Hunter fighters. That day Pakistan Air Force lost the bravest fighter pilot. In his memory Shorkot Air Base was renamed Rafiqui Air Force Base. Cecil Choudry broke the air combat after destroying one IAF Hunter.

In due course of time M.M Alam rose to the rank of Air Commodore. He was a person of great integrity and character. Flying was his passion and Pakistan Air Force was his life. He believed in the highest standards of honesty in his official dealings and personal life. He felt lack of it in the way Air Chief Marshal Anwar Shamim ran the Pakistan Air Force. He thought it his duty to keep the Air Chief informed of rumours about lack of ethics in the way Air Force was being administered and run. Alam’s advice and criticism angered the Air Chief and was not well taken.

M.M. Alam decided that the high prestige of Pakistan Air Force must not be tarnished and decided to inform President Ziaul Haq about the ‘goings-on’ in PAF.

Shamim, as Chief of the Air Staff, was very close to the president, who did not endorse M.M. Alam’s complaints and grievance against the Air Chief.

This was an unfortunate development. Air Chief Marshal Shamim ordered pre-mature retirement of Air Commodore M.M, Alam. As the Vice Chief of Air Staff, I felt grieved and unhappy that Pakistan Air Force had lost a competent officer of unblemished integrity. Alam felt deeply hurt and refused his pension. Air Chief Marshal Jamal Ahmed Khan, who took over the command of Pakistan Air Force after Anwar Shamim, tried his best to persuade M.M. Alam, who had no other income, to accept his pension, which was his legal and constitutional right. But M.M. Alam declined.

M.M. Alam went out of sight. After some time it transpired that he had joined the Afghan Mujahideen to fight the Soviet army of occupation.

One day several months later there was a knock on the door of my Islamabad house after midnight. I opened the door and found a starved person with a beard wearing the Pushtun cap. I did not recognise him till he said: “Can I come in”?

I said: “Alam, what have you done to yourself?”

Alam said: “I am starving, I had nothing to eat since two days.” The way he ate, proved it. He was very tired and slept for three days. Then he left and I lost contact with him.

Apart from being a great fighter pilot, M.M. Alam was a good human being and a highly religious person. May Allah shower His blessings on Alam and give him a place in heaven. ~Amen

AIR MARSHAL ( r) AYAZ AHMED KHAN Islamabad