Anwar Shamim

Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Mohammad Anwar Shamim NI(M) HI(M) SJ SI(M) OI LoM ; (1 October 1931 – 4 January 2013) was a senior air officer of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and was the Chief of Air Staff, appointed to the post in 1978 until retiring in 1985.

Anwar Shamim was born in Haripur, Hazara District, North-West Frontier Province in the British Indian Empire, on 31 October 1931.

He hailed from an academic family and his parents were teachers at the local school.

He received his early education and matriculated from Government College in Campbellpur (Attock) before becoming the member of the University Air Squadron of the Royal Air Force.

In 1950, he joined the RPAF College at Risalpur from where he was selected to attend the Royal Australian Air Force College at Point Cook where he completed the basic flying training course.

Upon returning to Pakistan, he gained a commission as a Pilot Officer in No. 12 Squadron Globe Globe Trotters in 1952.

Flying Officer Shamim was sent to the United States to be trained to fly the F-104 Starfighter, and was later directed to attend the Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, Alabama, in the 1960s where he gained degree in Defence studies.

In 1963, Squadron-Leader Shamim took over the command of the No. 11 Squadron Arrows, which he commanded until 1965.

While in the United States, he qualified as a test pilot, flying mostly the F-104 and F-86 while performing the combat maneuvering.

Born in Haripur, British India, he was a career fighter pilot who participated in conflict with India in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 and also in 1971, before playing a crucial role as a military adviser to Jordan against Palestinian insurgent groups in 1970.

In 1965, Wing-Commander (Wg Cdr) Shamim took over the command of No. 33 (Tactical) Wing as its officer commanding, and participated in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 with India.

During the aerial operations, Wg Cdr Shamim flew his Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, along with North American F-86 Sabres against the Indian Air Force's Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21.

His combat wing led several attacking and bombing missions against the Indian Air Force's attempt for an air superiority.

After the war with India, Group Captain (Gp. Capt.) Shamim was posted with the Pakistan Armed Forces–Middle East Command, serving first as an air adviser to the Royal Jordanian Air Force in 1967.

Shamim played a crucial role in advising about the importance of air superiority to King Hussain of Jordan during the Six-Day War with Israel.

In the 1970s, he went to attend the National Defence University in Islamabad, and attained his master's degree in national security course.

In 1970, Gp.

Capt. Shamim, acting as a military adviser to the Jordanian Armed Forces, played a decisive role in gathering military intelligence on the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in support of the Pakistan Armed Forces, led by its Chief of Staff then Brigadier (later President) Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

His efforts won the praise from King Hussain, honoring him with a national decoration.

In 1971, Gp.

Capt. Shamim returned to Pakistan from his assignment, and was appointed as base commander of Masroor Air Force Base, mainly focusing on aerial defence, though he continued directing combat air operations.

In 1974–76, Air Commodore Shamim was appointed Air Officer Commanding of the Southern Air Command, but was later posted as ACAS (Air Operations) at the Pakistan Air Headquarters (AHQ) on a two-star rank, Air Vice Marshal (AVM).

In 1978, AVM Shamim was promoted to Air Marshal (AM).

On 23 July 1978, when ACM Zulfikar Ali Khan completed an extended tenure of four years, Air Commodore Anwar Shamim was promoted to ACM and appointed Chief of the Air Staff.

President Fazal Ilahi approved the elevation of the junior most air officer, Anwar Shamim, to four-star rank, superseding several seniors for this appointment.

Once appointed as Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Shamim began taking initiatives to modernize the air force by acquiring fighter jets from the United States and China.

In 1979, ACM Shamim notified President General Zia-ul-Haq that Kahuta's Engineering Research Laboratories (ERL) was an indefensible site because it was at three minutes flying time for the Indian Air Force from the Indo-Pakistani border, while the reaction time for the Pakistan Air Force's fighter jets would be about eight minutes, resulting in the enemy completing the job and returning to their base safely.

ACM Shamim explored the idea of defending their nuclear deterrence by suggesting acquiring American F-16s, allowing the PAF to have a second strike capability to destroying the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre at Trombay, India.

ACM Shamim refused to acquire Northrop F-5E aircraft from the United States, and provided a strong advocacy for acquiring the F-16s.

In 1980, ACM Shamim led successful talks with China, and acquired Shenyang J-6s to be used to protect the facilities.

The Pakistan Ministry of Defence and the United States Department of Defense entered into negotiations to acquire F-16s for the PAF, with Air Chief Marshal Shamim later launching Project Falcon, appointing AVM H. Durrani as its Project-Director.

Shamim's tenureship was subjected to two extension as a Chief of Air Staff, first in 1982 at the behest of President Zia-ul-Haq to supervise the complete induction of the F-16A/B fighter jets into the PAF.

As an Chief of the Air Staff, Shamim is notable for taking initiatives to modernize the PAF by successfully acquiring the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon from the United States under Project Falcon in 1983, and acquiring radar technology from the US to strengthen his country's aerial defense.

During his tenureship, he played an influential role in the Zia administration, advising President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq on policy matters involving the national security of Pakistan.

In addition, Shamim also holds the distinction of being the second longest serving Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force.

In 1983, ACM Shamim was given another extension as an air chief for two more year.

Repeated extension of ACM Shamim as Chief of Air Staff made him the longest serving chief of the air force.

Under his command, the PAF was involved in combat sorties against the Soviet Air Forces in Communist Afghanistan in shooting down the fighter jets violating the airspace of Pakistan only, but he did not authorize the air force's F-16s for hot pursuit missions into Communist Afghanistan.

On 15 January 1983, three F-16As in a single squadron, under the leadership of then-AVM Jamal A. Khan reached Pakistan.

He died in January 2013 and was buried with full state honours.