Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is observing the 10th death anniversary of its first female fighter pilot, Marium Mukhtiar, today (Monday).
Born on May 18, 1992, in Karachi, Marium grew up in a military family. Her father, retired Pakistan Army Colonel Mukhtiar Ahmed Shaikh, played a key role in shaping her ambition to join the armed forces.
She entered the Pakistan Air Force in 2011 and graduated in 2014, becoming one of the pioneering women in fighter aviation.
On November 24, 2015, Marium was on a routine training mission with her instructor, Saqib Abbasi, when their jet developed a technical fault and went down near Kundian in Mianwali. In her final moments, she steered the aircraft away from a populated area, sacrificing her life to prevent civilian casualties.
The government of Pakistan posthumously awarded her the Tamgha-e-Basalat on March 23, 2016, in recognition of her courage and service.
