PAF playing important role in eliminating scourge of terrorism: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday said the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was playing an important role in eliminating the scourge of terrorism from the country.

The prime minister said this while talking to officers and airmen of the PAF at Mushaf Air Base in Sargodha after taking part in a training/exercise mission in most sophisticated F-16 multi-role aircraft of the PAF. He expressed his satisfaction on the niche attained by the PAF amongst the modern air forces of the world. He also appreciated the high morale of the aerial defenders of the country and expressed
satisfaction on the operational readiness of PAF. 

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is the first prime minister of a country in the region who participated in a flying mission sitting in the rear cockpit of a fighter jet capable of flying beyond supersonic speed. The prime minister flew exercise training mission of the elite No 9 multi-role squadron.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is trained pilot and he had been instructor for the learner pilots. His father late Khaqan Abbasi was also Air Commodore in the PAF and was among the pioneers of the modern PAF. Interestingly, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman was sitting in another F-16 aircraft that also participated in the training mission. After landing back at the air base, the prime minister interacted with the combat air and ground crew of the squadron. On his arrival at the base, he was received by Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman. Later, the F-16 aircraft of the CAS landed before the prime minister’s return to the base and again he was received by the air chief who reportedly appreciated the flying skill of the prime minister and felicitated him on establishing a record by flying a fighter aircraft as prime minister. The prime minister visited newly established Airpower Centre of Excellence and attended a briefing on the ongoing exercise Saffron Bandit. 

Envisioned by the air chief, ACE is a premier institution which has been equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure. Besides training the PAF personnel, this institute would also train the combat crew of friendly air forces by conducting multi-national, training exercises. The PM was also informed that the first ever multi-national exercise is going to be held next month. The personnel belonging to 19 air forces of the world would participate in the exercise. The prime minister was also briefed about PAF’s contributions in nation building. 

The PAF has started numerous vocational institutions all across the country to create job opportunities for the youth of the country. The PAF's contributions in the field of education were also elaborated wherein various campuses of Air University and Fazaia Medical College have been established in different cities to provide quality education to the young boys and girls. Moreover, PAF has also established schools for the special education to make them useful members of society. The prime minister took keen interest in the Aviation City project, which has been established in Kamra to bring in an innovative approach in the field of aviation. This city would mainly focus research and development initiatives with the help of industry academia linkage.