Sharbat Ali Changezi


Sharbat Ali Changezi

HI(M)   SI(M)   SBt
Changezi in 1966
Born (1932-03-10) 10 March 1932 (age 92)
Quetta, Baluchistan, British India
Allegiance Pakistan
Service / branch Pakistan Air Force
Years of service1949–87
Rank Air Marshal
CommandsNo. 26 Squadron[1]
Battles / warsIndo-Pakistani war of 1965
Indo-Pakistani war of 1971
Awards Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military)
Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military)
Sitara-e-Basalat

Air Marshal Sharbat Ali Changezi HI(M) SI(M) SBt (Urdu: شربت على ݘݩگݐڒی; b. 10 March 1932),[2] is a retired three-star air officer in the Pakistan Air Force and a former fighter pilot who led the aerial operations in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and 1971.[3][4][5]

In 1955, Changezi notably refused to meet the Afghan Monarch Zahir Shah, while he was on visit to Pakistan, because of the ill-treatment meted out to the Hazara people in Afghanistan.[6][7]

Career with the Airforce

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1965 War service

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Changezi was involved in a dogfight with Indian warplanes over Lahore district in which he and his wingman shot down Indian planes.[8]

1971 War service

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During the 1971 war, Changezi was the officer commanding of the No. 26 Squadron of the PAF flying F-86 Sabres.

Awards and decorations

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Hilal-e-Imtiaz

(Military)

(Crescent of Excellence)

Sitara-e-Imtiaz

(Military)

(Star of Excellence)

Sitara-e-Basalat

(Star of Good Conduct)

Tamgha-e-Diffa

(General Service Medal)

1. 1965 War Clasp

2. 1971 War Clasp

Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War

(War Star 1965)

Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War

(War Star 1971)

Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War

(War Medal 1965)

Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War

(War Medal 1971)

Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e-

Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam

(100th Birth Anniversary of

Muhammad Ali Jinnah)

1976

Tamgha-e-Jamhuria

(Republic Commemoration Medal)

1956

Hijri Tamgha

(Hijri Medal)

1979

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Pakistan Military Consortium :: www.PakDef.info". www.pakdef.info. Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  2. ^ Papolazov, Arshad (15 June 2012). "Deedar e Air Marshal R Sharbat Ali Changezi Part1-6". www.youtube.com. MechidTV, Bio 1. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  3. ^ "KARACHI: Tribute paid to heroes of 1965 war". Dawn. 17 September 2002. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  4. ^ Fricker, John (1979). Battle for Pakistan: the air war of 1965. I. Allan. p. 153. ISBN 978-0711009295.
  5. ^ Saleem Javed (29 June 2012). "Hope fades away for Hazaras of Pakistan". Dawn. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  6. ^ Nadir Hassan (18 May 2012). "Planned Extermination: Balochistan's Shia Hazara Community". Newsline. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  7. ^ "Planned Extermination: Balochistan's Shia Hazara Community". Newsline. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  8. ^ "Air Battle over Lahore 20 September, 1965". Defence Journal. Archived from the original on 29 August 2000.