In the Memory of Safdar Jahanzeb

 

((3 June 1956 - 2 September 1992)

September 2 (1992) marks the death anniversary of Safdar Jahanzeb, who was one of the finest officers of our course and Pakistan Army beside being an ace aviator. He embraced shahadat in an aircraft crash which was caught in a whirlpool in the Tarki hills en route Mangla to Dhamial. His shahadat was attributed to severe burns which he sustained as a result of the crash.

Safdar Jahanzeb was my first term roommate and was perhaps the best of us all.  Son of Brigadier Bangash, who was then the FF Centre Commandant, Safdar rose above all in moral fiber, integrity and comradeship. He had a smart military bearing and intelligence – besides being a friend of friends.

Elementary Drill Competition First Term: Seen from the left are Murad, Noor, Safdar and Awan

I still recall him practicing for the saluting test in the corridor of our tin roofed barrack and the sound of his footsteps was so solid that one could feel the thump even inside the room. And it was no wonder that he was the first from our platoon, K-4, to clear the saluting test right in the first attempt.  His passing of saluting tests was a blessing in disguise as it allowed him to visit his parents in FF Center. On his return he always carried roasted drum sticks, pastries and biscuits. Soon the news of food import spread to the neighbouring states and from then on his mother increased the supply for "becharas" back in the academy, as Safdar told us.

He always helped me in day to day routine of the first term specially when my FSMO would jumble up He stayed with K-4 in the first term and departed along with Jamshed, Aslam and Shahid Awan to Khalid-5 in the second term. But he continued to visit us for as long as we remained in the academy.

Ex Yarmuk (First Term): Safdar Jahanzeb sits in the middle flanked by (left) Shirazi and Asif, Right; Jalal and Iqbal with Arshad, Noor and Fazal standing

2nd Term snowfall:  Safdar (extreme left) with Noor, Liaquat and Arshad

3rd Term: Jamshed, late Shams, Safdar, Tariq, Noor, Arshad

Although Safdar was commissioned in the FF Regiment his father commanded, his destiny lied somewhere else and thus he joined Army Aviation and soon rose to an ace and test pilot. He was also retained as instructor at the PAF Academy, Risalpur – an indicative of his professional excellence.

However, Major Safdar Jahanzeb  was not to live long, as on one fateful day, 2 September 1992,  while in flight, his aircraft was caught in a wind storm and we lost one of the best fliers of Pakistan Army and a better human being than us forever.

Mushtaq and Jamshed were perhaps the closest friends of Safdar

Remembering Safdar Jahanzeb , Mushtaq writes:

Safdar was a great friend. Whenever I recall him my eyes turn moist. A decent, sincere and always helping buddy. 

Once I could not clear the saluting test in the first term, Safdar went to my home in Rawalpindi, met my father and demonstrated exemplary saluting expected by PMA staff and the adjutant. My father was highly impressed and narrated the entire story. He still remembers him. During the one-mile tests, I was always lagging behind and Safdar would try pushing  and urging me  to run faster sometimes at the cost of losing time himself to the finishing line. On weekends, he would invariably invite us to his home just behind the FF mess in Abbottabad.  

After commissioning, I was posted at ordnance Depot Quetta. Safdar and Jamshed were doing their  OW-JOL. We three would go for a dinner on weekends usually eating mutton karahi or sajji and then going for 9-12 pm movie shows. My last meeting with him was in Rawalpindi where he was staying with his family. He had turned quite religious and urged me to read, understand and follow Quran. I  went to his home  in his home town Hangu  twice.  Once happily on his marriage and then 2nd time to visit his grave crying. May Allah grant him higher and higher grades in Jannah.

Jamshed was yet another close friend of Safdar and Jamshed could not help remembering his friend and sharing two daring actions of Safdar:

A memorable photo of Quetta while doing OW-JOL: Kahlon, Asim, Jamshed, Sahu, (two unidentified), Alamgir, Safdar, Khalid Javed and Arshad - motorbike hiking to Hana Lake

One night we both were returning from late night show and dinner in Quetta Safdar as was our usual routine on weekends. We ere dead tired and sleepy too when a few km short of SI&T mess his bike broke down. We tried every trick to put it right and failed. To My surprise he opened the gas tank lock and was about to strike a match stick for peeping in the tank. As if by reflex action I was just in time to grab his hand and stop him half way before he could strike the match box. We remained standing in shock and awe for few seconds for the most stupid thing one can do to check petrol in tank. Allah be praised we both survived. 

In 1978-79 I broke my right leg in  a motor bike accident  in Peshawar. he was also posted in  aviation squadron at Peshawar. I was mostly at home on sick leave having that large p.o.p on my leg. He would often come in the evening for gup shup and to cheer me up.  One morning he called and said we go for joy ride to Wana area.. I had  heard he was a good pilot but was apprehensive as he was too young to join him for a joy ride. He arranged for a pilots overall green suit and a cap. I was quickly put on board by his efficient ground crew and no  one noticed me along with my crutches which I used for movement because of my broken leg. We had intercom connection on which he was explaining the ridges and important land marks en route to Wana. 

Photo shared by Rauf (center)

On our way back he started to play tricks like jees and spin roll to show his mastery in flying mostly to black me out through sudden jees of the aircraft and teasing me. We reached above Darra Adamkheil valley and flying low towards Peshawar  just beyond the ridge is a natural fall and little foggy and misty  area. Suddenly I heard a big thumb and felt a big jolt of the aircraft which almost toppled. But he immediately  controlled it. Then I heard him on the intercom in gasping voice: “Jammie we just survived a cash.” In fact we had hit the high tension electric wires but were fortunate as it was the tail section hit since we were in descent. He later had to face an inquiry. But Allah be praised we both survived. 

It was very sad that he crashed in the hills near Gujar Khan and he reportedly died of burns. This time my lovely platoon mate Safdar (Prince) as I used to call him  got martyrdom alone.

Kaiser Khan ex 56 PMA remembers Safdar who was a class senior to him at Burn Hall School Abbottabad and a course senior at PMA. "Man of a few words, professionally sound and an ace pilot. Did his Aviation course with my twin brother. He had participated in a very daring operation in Siachin in which his wing man Maj Khalid Sultan (54th PMA) embraced shahadat. Maj Safdar Jehanzeb was flying a Mushak when he crashed in the Tarki hills en route Mangla to Dhamial, due to bad monsoon weather and possibly a sudden downdraft. He was an excellent human being and an officer who had the potential to rise to the top if destiny had spared him a chance. May Almighty Allah reward him with the blessings of shahadat. Ameen"

We ALL pray to all mighty Allah for granting him the highest  place in Jannah. Ameen. Miss you dear Safdar.