Nation mourns two war heroes

The country mourned two war heroes who passed away on Tuesday.

Former chief of naval staff Admiral (retd) Fasih Bukhari, and ex-Pakistani fighter pilot Air Marshal (retd) Dilawar Hussain passed away, according to separate statements issued by the spokespersons for the Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

According to the Pakistan Navy spokesperson, Admiral Bukhari was commissioned in the navy in 1962. He was the chief of naval staff from 1997 to 1999. The spokesperson said that Naval Chief Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi had expressed condolences on the demise of Admiral (retd) Bukhari.

Born in Quetta in 1940, Dilawar Hussain joined the Pakistan Air Force in March 1962 as a fighter pilot. During the Indo-Pak war of 1965, he was posted in the 19th Squadron of PAF Base Peshawar. Their formation had destroyed 14 Indian warplanes at Pathankot Airfield.

According to a statement, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan expressed deep sorrow over the death of the great war hero. The air chief paid homage to the hero of the Pakistan Air Force and lauded his courageous in the 1965 and 1971 wars.