sweep_shot
Test Captain
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2016
- Runs
- 49,044
Wing Commander Noman Akram Shaheed-RA
Over 3,000 flying hours, deliberately refused to bail out in his malfunctioning Jet over Islamabad and steered his F-16 to crash in a secluded area to avoid civilian casualties
Tribute from Salman Akram (his Brother)
Three Years have passed by. Almost felt like a whole life time. I still remember the exact moment I received the news of my brother Wg Cdr Nauman Akram Shaheed’s F-16 crash. The next few minutes till the confirmation of his Shahadat passed as an eternity. I remember every second of that, praying and thinking about the worst.
The outpour of love and respect he got from all the world was amazing. People who didn’t even know him felt the pain as if they lost their closed one. We had crowd of people coming for condolences for 11 consecutive days before the lockdown got strict. I couldn’t even fully comprehend for days how my and my family’s life had changed, forever.
He used to worry about small things for me and coaching me whether it was related to my studies, sports, being a better human and a Muslim. As he went to PAF Cadet College Sargodha and later on joined PAF our interactions did reduce but I always used to long for the time when we will meet again, calculating the hours/minutes/seconds left. I tried to imitate him on many things. For me he was close to an ideal in real life. Every time he had an achievement it made me proud as if it was my own.
Many have talked about him being one of the most decorated pilots of PAF, his records soaring in PAF history with the most coveted Sher Afghan award, his friends joking with him being a future Air Chief but he ended up being higher than an Air Chief even from worldly standards...I saw current and ex-Air Chiefs saluting him!
Shahadat is the epitome of greatness one can achieve. However, the unmatched respect and love that Allah put in people’e heart for him was something that he earned during his 41 years; his ultimate sacrifice, greatness of his character and Imaan. I got to know about countless incidents of his compassion, respect and care for others from seniors and juniors alike. He was gem of a person. I have rarely seen a person being so humble despite all the enviable achievements he had. He was an ideal son, caring brother and a loving father and husband.
I think a lot what would have been going through his mind in last few secs. No one except Allah and him knows. In a split second he probably would have thought about his family but then would have remembered the oath he took, the oath that he has been proudly carrying with him for last 20 years, the oath that he proudly carried with him to heavens. Decisions taken in split seconds dont come with logical reasoning, they are taken with the principles you have lived your life with. It has been established that he tried his best to save the civilian life and the plane. He had the option to eject safely but he didn’t. I can’t even fathom the courage he had during those moments. The nation would remain in debt for the ultimate sacrifice he gave on 11th Mar 2020.
Our imaan is Shaheeds are alive. I know he is. Numerous friends and colleagues have seen him in dream with a glowing face enjoying the bounties of heaven. I have seen him in dreams countless times, discussing everything from his last moments to what the family is going through.
No doubt he has left me with a big responsibility but has made me extremely proud. We have a hero in our family. His glorious life and end that we can proudly share in times to come.
Even with his last moment he has taught me a lot of things. I used to talk about death and the eternal life but he has shown me what it really means. No matter how strong I try to be it is still difficult to hold back the tears whenever I think of him. Bhai I miss you a lot. May Allah bless you as per HIS standard.
Till we meet again...inshaAllah!
Hero.
May Allah (SWT) grant him Jannah.
