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.
SALIENT FEATURES
Size
of Stamp:
40 x 30 mm
Size
of Print:
36 x 26 mm
Perforation:
13C
Denomination:
Rs. 2/-
Colour:
Multi Colours
Process
of Printing:
Litho Offset
No.
of Stamps in each Sheet:
32 Stamps (8 x 4)
Paper:
Chancellor Litho
Gum:
PVA
Grammage:
102 GMS
Paper
Manufacturer:
Tuilis Russeil Coaters UK
Quantity:
0.5 Million
Designer:
Aftaz Zafar
Printer:
Post Office Foundation Press, (Security Division) Karachi.