Transition: Decorated war hero passes away

Muhammad Younas was awarded Tamgha-e-Basalat after 1965 war.

LAHORE: Pakistan Air Force’s retired air vice marshal Muhammad Younas, who was awarded Tamgha-e-Basalat after 1965 war, passed away on Monday leaving behind two sons and a daughter.

He was suffering from Parkinson’s disease for the past many years. He was buried at Cavalry ground grave yard.

Muhammad Younas was born in July 24, 1933 in Gordaspur, India and received early education in Jhang.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Rizwan Younas said that his father joined the air force as a sepoy and rose up to the rank of an officer.

Muhammad Younus went to the Royal Air Force Academy in Cranwell and was the first Pakistani pilot to shoot down an Indian spyplane in Rawalpindi on April 10, 1959. He was air officer commanding of Northern Air Command in 1985 during the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2014.