Rashid Minhas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 17 February 1951 Karachi, Sindh, Dominion of Pakistan |
| Died | 20 August 1971 (aged 20) Thatta District, Sindh, Pakistan (now Sujawal District) |
| Buried | Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Allegiance |  Pakistan |
| Service/branch |  Pakistan Air Force |
| Years of service | 13 March 1971 - 20 August 1971 |
| Rank |  Pilot officer |
| Service number | Pak/5602 |
| Unit | No. 2 Squadron |
| Battles / wars | Bangladesh Liberation War † |
| Awards |  Nishan-e-Haider |
| Alma mater | St Patrick's High School, Karachi |
| Website | "Rashid Minhas (Shaheed)". |
Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas NH (Urdu: راشد منہاس) was a Pakistani fighter pilot and the fifth recipient of Pakistan's highest military award, the Nishan-e-Haider. Minhas was the first and only officer from the Pakistan Air Force to receive the Nishan-e-Haider, and was also the youngest person and the shortest-serving officer to have received the award. During a routine training mission in August 1971, Minhas attempted to gain control of his jet trainer when his superior officer Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman hijacked the plane in an attempt to defect to India to join the Bangladesh Liberation War but crashed near the Thatta District, Sindh in Pakistan.[1]
- ^ "PAF pays homage to Rashid Minhas Shaheed". The Express Tribune. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.