For the exceptional flying skill and valour shown by him in pressing home his attacks in aerial combats with the enemy, Squadron Leader Mohammad Mahmood Alam is awarded a bar to his Sitara-i-Juraat. Overall he had nine kills and two damages to his credit. On 7th September, 1965, Squadron Leader Alam destroyed five more enemy Hunter aircrafts in less than a minute, which remains a record till today. For the exceptional flying skill and valor displayed by Squadron Leader Mohammad Mahmood Alam, he was awarded Sitara-i-Juraat. On 6th September, 1965, during an aerial combat over enemy territory, Squadron Leader Mohammad Mahmood Alam in an F-86 Sabre Jet, shot down two enemy Hunter aircraft and damaged three others. In the war of 1965, he shot down 9 Indian planes (5 in one sortie) and damaged another 2. Alam is so far the top scorer fighter pilot of PAF. For this and his earlier exploits, he is posthumously awarded Hilal-i-Juraat. Squadron Leader Rafiqui's conduct was clearly beyond the call of duty and conformed to the highest tradition of leadership and bravery in battle against overwhelming odds.

In the process, his aircraft was shot down and he was killed but not without his action enabling his formation to shoot down three more Hunter aircraft. 2 to take over as leader and continue the engagement with the enemy. Soon after, his guns jammed due to a defect and stopped firing upon which he refused to leave the battle area and ordered his No. On the way back, the formation was intercepted by about ten Hunter aircraft out of which Squadron Leader Rafiqui accounted for one in the first few seconds. On 6th September, 1965, Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui led a formation of three F-86 aircraft on a strike against Halwara airfield. Rafiqui shot down 3 Indian planes (2 Vampires and 1 Hunter) in the war of 1965. For this act of heroism above and beyond the call of duty, the President of Pakistan awarded Nishan-i-Haider to Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas. In doing so, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas deliberately made the supreme sacrifice for the honour of Pakistan and the service to which he belonged.

Without hesitation and living up to the highest traditions of the Pakistan Air Force, Rashid Minhas tried to regain control of his aircraft, but finding this to be impossible in the face of the superior skill and experience of his instructor, forced the aircraft to crash at a point 32 miles from the Indian border. With just 40 miles of Pakistan territory remaining, Minhas had only one course open to him to prevent his aircraft from entering India. An instructor pilot from the same unit forced his way into the rear cockpit, seized control of the aircraft and having taken off, headed the aircraft towards India. On the morning of Friday, 20 August 71, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas aged 20, a pilot still under training, was in the front seat of jet trainer, taxiing out for take off. Officer Rashid Minhas is the recipient of Nishan-i-Haider, Pakistan's highest military award. Note that the officer ranks mentioned here were at the time of event. This list is not complete and I have mentioned very few of the significant historical events in PAF history that are associated with them. Although it mentions PAF pilots only but the successful engagements they had were made possible only by the impressive team work of aeronautical engineers, radar controllers and other ground crew. Below is a list of some brave men of PAF who fought for their country courageously and brought glory to their service.

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