Never in the history of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few” So said Winston Churchill during the battle of Britain paying tribute to valiant fighter pilots of the Royal Air force. During the 1965 war the “so many” were the people of Pakistan and the “so few” were brave lads of the Pakistan Air Force. Standing out conspicuously among this elite group of national heroes was Squadron Leader M.M. Alam.
The mighty juggernaut of the Indian armed forces rolled across the international border in the early hours of August 6th 1965 spitting fire and brimstone and leaving death and destruction in its wake. The hour of trial for the nation had begun. It was a fight for survival and the only forces arrayed against this ferocious tidal wave were armor and air force. The Indian advance was blunted and the rest is History.
The infamous strategic blunder, tactical mistake and political folly “Operation Gibraltar” was launched on 7th August 65 thus provoking India to launch a full scale war against Pakistan. PAF tasted victory for the first time on 01 September when two F-86 Sabers shot down four enemy aircraft giving a bloody nose to the much superior Indian air force. Account for the PAF was opened by Squadron Leaders Sarfraz Rafiqui and Imtiaz Bhatti.
Slightly built, quiet, unassuming and painfully modest carved a name for himself in history by the remarkable feat of shooting down five enemy aircraft in a single sortie over the skies of Sargodha all in a few minutes. By the end of the War Alam had about a dozen kills to his credit. Nine confirmed, two probable and one possible.
During the 65 war Squadron Leader M M Alam was leading the 11th fighter squadron based in Sargodha. He led his brave pilots against enemy ground forces repeatedly and emerged as a national hero and household word in Pakistan. He was showered with honors, praise and medals that included Sitara-i-Jurat and bar, Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military) making him one of the most decorated heroes of the country’s armed forces.
On 12th of April 1982 Air Commodore Alam was interviewed by the Chief of Air Staff PAF and unceremoniously retired from the PAF for reasons best known to the authorities concerned. A brilliant career was cut short, the hero fell from grace, MM Alam’s 28 years of service with the PAF ended and Alam became history. It is indeed mind boggling to think of such a grave error resulting in the disgraceful, shameful and insulting treatment meted out to this national hero.
M MAlam migrated from his ancestral town in India in 1947 and joined the PAF in 1951 as a flight cadet. By dint of sheer hard work and merit he continued to rise in the PAF and as a wing commander he had logged 3300 on twelve different types of aircraft. In 1968 he formed and led the first ever Mirage squadron of the PAF.
During the post October 1973 Arab-Israel war Alam was the leader of 16 PAF pilots in Syria and flew combat missions against the Israeli air force. Subsequently he commanded a squadron of MIG 21s of the Syrian Air Force. In July 1978 he was posted as ACAS (Flight safety) his efforts in improving flight safety were a great success and he was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military) Alam completed the RCDS (UK) in 1980. On his return from the UK Alam rightly expected to be given command of an operational base but he was denied that honor in spite of having the unique distinction of commanding four fighter squadrons during his unblemished and distinguished career as a fighter pilot.
In March 1981 he was posted as ACAS (Plans) and in that capacity he made a constructive and meaningful contribution to Pak army’s exercise Zarb-e-Kaleem held in May 1981 leader of Blue Land forces. The entire US aircraft and weapons procurement planning was accomplished by Alam and he was designated as the deputy leader of the PAF delegation to the USA to negotiate the details of the military assistance program. In spite of the highest qualifications, command and staff experience and an unmatched military record M MAlam was never allowed to lead a lead a wing or base that impaired the future career prospects of a living legend and perhaps the greatest fighter pilot of the PAF.
By mid-1981 the PAF was rife with rumors about corruption at the highest levels and even the personal integrity of the Chief of Air staff (CAS) was the subject of in the rank and fileof the PAF. It was widely rumored that the CAS has purchased a ranch in the USA for half a million dollars but nobody had the courage to inform or question the CAS about this widely accepted rumor. Out of sheer loyalty to the PAF and his chief Alam took upon himself to inform his boss of his unsavory reputation and to recommend an investigation and stern action against people who were spreading and fanning such rumors.
This action was the beginning of the end for M MAlam. The first salvo fired against him was an uncomplimentary report at the end of the year and more was to come. It was later revealed that the CAS who was the blue eyed boy of the military regime submitted a report to the ministry of defense. The report cast aspersions on Alam’s character. Integrity, personal conduct and even his extra ordinary war record. To question the credibility of Alam’s war performance would amount to casting doubts on the personal integrity of the then C-in-C PAF Air Marshall Nur Khan and the then base commander Air Commodore Zafar Masud.
It appears as if a crude attempt was made to rewrite the history of the 65 war create false heroes and to reduce and destroy the real heroes of Pakistan’s first major conflict with its arch enemy India and MM Alam became victim of an insidious and cruel conspiracy.
This epitome of courage, patriotism, humility and honesty who I had the honor of calling my friend left for his heavenly abode on 18th March 2013. Old soldiers never die they just fade away.
The writer is Professor of History, based in Islamabad
