By Shahid Awan
On February 23, 1923, a child was born in the house of Captain Maher Khan in the village of Taman in Talagang, who was named Noor Khan. Such names were part of the culture of that area. . Noor Khan joined the Indian Air Force and eventually retired as an Air Marshal. He played a great role in bringing cricket and hockey to the top. He entered in politics for a few years but left it after a short period of time due to his principles. During this short time, he set up primary schools in his tehsil and when he became Governor of Punjab for a short period, then issued pension for teachers. It was an honor to travel in a national airline, when he was made the Chairman of PIA. He left the world on December 15, 2011. In this way, it will be 100 years since he came into the world in the coming year 2023. To pay tribute to him, some bright aspects of his life should be brought out so that the younger generation can get aware of great achievements of this National Hero.
PIA, which was the symbol of Pakistan’s prestige during the era of Air Marshal Noor Khan has become a laughing stock in the whole world today. All departments and branches of air travel, including the media, need not to be told that after Air Marshal Noor Khan, the graph of PIA gradually fell down and then fell so that it could never be recovered. If not today, then tomorrow, time will tell how the airline, which once held its unique position in the world, reached this state of disrepair. Noor Khan was the shining star of the nation who held any position in Air Force, PIA, Hockey, Cricket, Squash field and took the name and position of Pakistan to the top. Tourists from major developed countries, travelers preferred PIA over domestic airlines. Noor Khan’s love for his country and passion can be understood from an incident that on January 20, 1978, when a PIA plane was hijacked. The hijacker ordered the pilot to leave the plane from India.
Chairman PIA Air Marshal Noor Khan went into the plane alone to negotiate with the armed hijacker, although his security staff forbade him and the law did not allow it. Noor Khan engaged the hijacker in conversation and suddenly pounced on him. The hijacker had a pistol in his hand which went off while the bullet hit him in the leg. However, he controlled the hijacker and the lives of hundreds of passengers of the plane were lost. Today the situation of PIA is such that in some countries restrictions have been imposed on our national airline, while those airlines which were taught to walk by PIA are now taking over the business of PIA in these countries. .
There was no compromise in Noor Khan’s life. A young man named Mahfooz Mustafa Bhutto was the nephew of former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. He was a Sales Promotion Officer in PIA. His office was near the Karachi Gymkhana Club and he was called as “Tiko”. Mumtaz Bhutto was the Chief Minister of Sindh at that time, therefore all the activities of Mahfooz would be limited to moving from the CM House to various government offices including the Secretariat and signing various files instead of the PIA. When this news came to Noor Khan, he took strict notice and issued him a show cause notice and warned that if he wants to get a job in PIA, he has to work. Meanwhile, after an official meeting in Larkana, Prime Minister Bhutto asked to take care of the said young man, Noor Khan did not give any answer and left after smiling. Perhaps many people do not know why Air Marshal Noor Khan retired from PIA, then later this reason became the reason for his retirement.
People like Noor Khan are the salt of the earth. Noor Khan is a great benefactor of Pakistan Sports, PIA’s coalitions scheme, thanks to his selfless and far-reaching efforts, Pakistan made its mark in the world of hockey, cricket and squash. In 1996, the renowned sports commentator Muhammad Toufiq got the honor f his long interview for PTV’s program Sport Roundup, the idea was that he would build bridges of long introduction and praises regarding his services. According to Mohammad Toufiq, he shrugged and ended the conversation in a short sentence
“Well it was my duty; that’s all”.
People like Air Marshal Noor Khan are not born every day, they are the pride of Talagang and will continue to be. Now that Talagang has become a district, in his memory Pakistan Air Force has installed a fighter plane at Siddique Chowk. There are piles of garbage of dirt keep piling up, Deputy Commissioner Musawar Ahmad Khan and ADCR Talagang Adnan Anjum Raja to design a beautiful square in recognition of his services. Besides a cadet college and a modern hospital should be built in his native village Taman as promised by the Air Force Chief, and the road from Talagang to Injara should be named after him.
A late friend of ours, Malik Mohammad Ayub who was a well-known banker, went on a visit to India Former PM India Indira Gandhi’s house was given the status of a museum by the government. He says that when our delegation was taken to see the museum, his chest swelled with joy when a portrait of Air Marshal Noor Khan was displayed alongside Indira Gandhi. He was a person who is remembered not only by the people of his own country, but the stories of his bravery are also told with respect in the neighboring enemy country. Special programs should be organized on December 15 so that the young generation can be proud of him. His grandson Dr. Shah Roz Khan is serving in the Government Hospital of Taman while his nephew Sardar Asif Khan Taman is serving the country as Federal Secretary. May Allah raise the ranks of the deceased.
Writer is senior analyst
