Polish aviators’ services remembered

Ambassador Opalinski says documentary film is being made on them

ISLAMABAD: The Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, Piotr A Opalinski said on Saturday his wife was working on a documentary film about Polish Air Force officers and airmen who had served in Pakistan in early 1950s and some of them had married and settled down here.

He was addressing the meeting of the English Speaking Union of Pakistan, Islamabad chapter as chief guest at the residence of Union’s president Khalid Malik. Former Higher Commissioner in Austria who had served as Ambassador of Pakistan to Poland (2002-06), Fauzia Naseem was the host of the event.



Ambassador Opalinski took the opportunity to remind the people of a batch of 70 Polish pilots, engineers and technicians who came to Pakistan at the time of independence to train Pakistani pilots and carry out necessary repairs of the planes.

He said Poland is proud of those heroes who trained Pakistan Air Force in 1950s and took part in the 1965 war. Some of them married and settled in Pakistan. One of the heroes remained Commander of Chaklala base and retired as Wing Commander from Pakistan Air force.

Among the polish officers was Air Commodore (retd) Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz, usually referred to as WJM Turowicz who opted to stay in the nascent country when political climate became hostile in his homeland after the WWII. A decorated veteran of 1965 war, Turowicz was an aviator, military scientist and aeronautical engineer who served as the administrator of SUPARCO from 1967 to 1970. He died inhis adopted hometown, Karachi, in 1980.



Opalinski also mentioned their contributions in Pakistan’ missile and later nuke technology. He said he is working to promote and preserve such historical contribution and deep Pak-Polish friendly relations.

The envoy informed the gathering that his wife is making a documentary film, “Our heroes” on Polish Air Force people who served in Pakistan at the time of its creation on the call of the then Pakistani government.

Secondly he said he was working on promoting cricket in his home country besides popularising Pakistani cuisine in Poland. Some two restaurants offering Punjabi and Mughal cuisines have already started in Poland’s capital, he said. The envoy paid glowing tributes to Pakistan government for offering sacrifices in fighting terrorism and achieving success in its pursuits.

“Pakistan is doing great job of fighting terrorism and we greatly appreciate and recognize its endeavours,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2017.