Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas (Shaheed), Nishan-e-Haider. (2003-14)

The youngest recipient of Nishan-e-Haider, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas was born on February 17, 1951 in Karachi. While still under training, Minhas was taxiing for take-off on a routine flight on August 20, 1971 when an Instructor Pilot forced his way into the rear cockpit, seized control of the aircraft and took off.As soon as Minhas realised that the intruding pilot was heading towards India, he tried to regain control of the aircraft but could not manage it against the superior skill and experience of the seasoned instructor. With only forty miles to go to cross over into Indian territory, he made yet another effort to steer the aircraft back to the base. Realising the futility of the struggle, Minhas resorted to the only honourable course open to him: he so interfered with the controls as to render the Instructor Pilot helpless and force the aircraft to crash 32 miles short of the border, knowing that it meant certain death.For the supreme sacrifice that he made for the honour of his country, Pilot Officer Minhas was awarded Nishan-e-Haider. Date of Issue (September 07, 2003)