Marium Mukhtiar

Marium Mukhtiar (May 19, 1992 – November 24, 2015) was a Pakistani fighter pilot.[1] She died flying a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) FT-7PG aircraft that crashed near Kundian in Mianwali District, northwestern Punjab, Pakistan on November 24, 2015.[2] She was the first female Pakistani fighter pilot to die in the line of duty.[3]

Flying Officer

Marium Mukhtiar
BornMay 18, 1992
DiedNovember 24, 2015(2015-11-24) (aged 23)
Kundian, Mianwali District, Punjab, Pakistan
Buried
Malir Cantonment Graveyard
Allegiance Pakistan
Service/branch Pakistan Air Force
Rank Flying Officer
Known forPakistan's first female fighter pilot to die in the line of duty
Awards Tamgha-e-Basalat

Early life and career

Marium Mukhtiar was born into a Sindhi Sheikh family and she was the daughter of Colonel Ahmed Mukhtiar who settled in Karachi, as his home town. She attended the Mehran Model School and College in Pano Akil and intermediate from Army Public School and College (APSACS) in Malir Cantt, Karachi. She played football for Balochistan United in the National Women Football Championship.[4] She studied civil engineering at NED University before qualifying as a fighter pilot in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in 2014, along with six other women.[5] She was also involved in charity work, supporting a school for children who were unable to afford an education.

Death

On 24 November 2015, Mukhtiar and squadron leader Saqib Abbasi were on a routine training mission when their FT-7PG crashed near Kundian, Mianwali, Punjab.[6][7][8][9][10] Both occupants ejected from the cockpit;[11] Abbasi suffered minor injuries, but Mukhtiar died of her injuries in a military hospital.[12] Mukhtiar and her co-pilot had ejected at too low an altitude, an air force spokesman said. Abbasi survived possibly because he had managed to eject seconds earlier.[3]

Mukhtiar's death was declared a martyrdom (or shahadat) by the PAF, which said both pilots "handled the serious emergency with professionalism and courage and tried to save the ill-fated aircraft until the very last minute. Flying Officer Mukhtiar could have saved her life had she ejected before taking PAF FT-7PG out of populous areas but both pilots decided to take the risk to keep flying the falling jet."[13][14]

She is buried in Malir Cantonment Graveyard.[15]

Awards

Pakistan's Senate Standing Committee on Defence (SSCD) recommended Mukhtiar for a state award.[16][17][18] She was awarded the Tamgha-e-Basalat by the Government of Pakistan.[19]

References
  1. "Female co-pilot embraces martyrdom as training jet crashes in Mianwali". The Express Tribune. November 25, 2015.
  2. "Flying officer Mariam Mukhtar embraces martyrdom in F-7 Jet crash". The Nation. 24 November 2015.
  3. "Female Pakistani fighter pilot dies in crash during training exercise". the Guardian. 2015-11-24. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  4. News, DND (2015-11-24). "Flying Officer Marium Mukhtar could save her life Dispatch News Desk". Dispatch News Desk. Retrieved 2016-01-31. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  5. "'When a pilot embraces martyrdom, you only find ashes' | The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2015-11-25. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  6. "Pakistani female fighter pilot mourned". BBC News. 2015-11-25.
  7. Agencies, Mateen Haider | Dawn com | (2015-11-24). "Female pilot dies as PAF trainer jet crashes near Mianwali". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  8. "Female pilot Marium martyred as PAF training aircraft crashes near Mianwali".
  9. Mursaleen Kamal. "How Mariam Mukhtar Dies as Training Jet Full Documentary". Pak Record. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  10. "Mariam Mukhtar, fighter pilot, Died at 23". deadfamous.info. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  11. "Female co-pilot dies as training jet crashes in Mianwali". The Express Tribune. November 25, 2015.
  12. "Pakistani female fighter pilot killed". BBC News. 2015-11-24. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  13. "PAF loses first female pilot in crash". The Express Tribune. 2015-11-25. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  14. Reporter, IBTimes Staff (2015-11-24). "First Pakistani female fighter pilot Marium Mukhtiar killed in air force plane crash". www.ibtimes.co.in. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  15. "شہید پائلٹ مریم مختار کو فوجی اعزاز کے ساتھ سپرد خاک کردیا گیا -". ARYNews.tv | Urdu - Har Lamha Bakhabar. 2015-11-25. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  16. Web Desk (December 4, 2015). "Senate body recommends state award for martyred pilot Marium Mukhtar". Daily Times Pakistan. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  17. "SSCD recommends state award for martyred pilot Mariam Mukhtar". Dunya News Network. Dunya News TV. December 4, 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  18. "SSCD recommends state award for martyred pilot Mariam Mukhtar". onlineindus news. December 4, 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  19. Faizan Ahmed Rana (January 30, 2016). "Govt. to award 'Tamgha-e-Basalatpo-maryam-mukhtar/". Baaghi TV, Pakistan.
  20. "Sanam Baloch's Ek Thi Marium trailer looks promising". Images. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
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