ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first female fighter pilot, Marium Mukhtiar’s 8th martyrdom anniversary is being observed today (Friday).
Born on May 18, 1992, in Karachi, Marium Mukhtiar joined the Pakistan Air Force in 2011 and successfully graduated in 2014. Her inspiration to join the armed forces came from her father, Mukhtiar Ahmed Shaikh, a retired colonel in the Pakistan Army.
Tragically, on November 24, 2015, while on a routine training flight with her instructor Saqib Abbasi, her jet encountered a malfunction and crashed in the Kundian area near Mianwali.
When her fighter jet experienced technical issues, she made the courageous decision to divert it toward an uninhabited area, sacrificing herself and embracing martyrdom.
In recognition of her sacrifice, the Government of Pakistan posthumously honored Marium Mukhtiar with the Tamgha-e-Basalat on March 23, 2016. —APP
