Web Desk (July 18, 2018): Indo-Pak War Hero Sqn. Leader Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui’s 82nd birth anniversary is being observed today. Sqn. Leader Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui sacrificed his life during attack on India’s Halwara Airbase.
Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui was born in Rajshahi, then East Pakistan on 18 July 1935. He later joined RPAF with 13 GD(P) course, graduating in 1953 from RPAF College Risalpur, winning the Best Pilot Trophy. On September 01, 1965, Rafiqui shot down two Indian attacking aircraft.
On 6 Sep 1965, he was tasked to lead four aircraft of No 5 Sqn to strike IAF Halwara Air Base along with Flight Lieutenant Younus Hussain, Flight Lieutenant Cecil Chaudhry, and Flight Lieutenant Saleem reaching there by at 17:05 hours.
Halwara had two Hunter Squadrons stationed there. The formation pulled up for attack on target at 1753 hrs, immediately intercepting the CAP formation of Flying Officer A. R. Gandhi and Flying Officer P.S. Pingale. After scoring one kill onto Pingale’s Hunter, Rafiqui’s guns jammed.
Rafiqui refused to leave the battle area which he would have been perfectly justified to do; instead he ordered his No. 2 to take over as leader and continue the engagement while he tried to give the formation as much protection as was possible with an unarmed aircraft. This called on the part of Squadron Leader Rafiqui.
The end for him was never in doubt but he chose to disregard it and, in the process, his aircraft was shot down and he was killed but not before enabling his formation to shoot down 3 more Hunter aircraft.
He is the recipient of both the Hilal-e-Jurat and the Sitara-e-Jurat.
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