102 MU/AED, PAF BASE FAISAL - MEMORIES & TESTIMONIALS

 

Air Commodore Raza was Officer Commanding 102MU/AED, Pakistan Air Force Base Faisal, Drigh Road, Karachi in January 1976 when I was posted as Flying Officer. It was my first posting after graduation. Raza sahib was a very hard task master & very serious about production targets.

Air Vice Marshal Khalid Rajput (R), Pakistan Air Force

 

 

Our course G5 graduated in 1972 and we visited 102 AED where Abid Raza sahib was the officer commanding. He was a legend and enjoyed very good reputation. We were very junior then and remember him as an icon in the engineering branch.

An officer and a gentleman. Very professional and highly respected!

Though I had not worked directly under him but had a chance to interact with him during FT-5 induction and assembly in 102 AED. He was a very professional engineer, tough task master but at the same time very considerate with junior officers.

May Allah Subhan Wattala bless his soul.

RIP Sir!

Air Vice Marshal Iftikhar Gul (R), Pakistan Air Force

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Amongst the prominent professional engineers in the PAF, the high reputation and respect of Air Commodore Syed Abid Raza sahib kept resonating through out my service. Unfortunately, I have had no chance to serve under him. The only time I met him was in 1993-94 while I was posted as Officer Commanding 102MU/AED, Pakistan Air Force Base Faisal, Drigh Road, Karachi. He had retired from active military service by then and had his residence in DHA, Karachi. I was driving through a street in DHA, and I read his name board on one of the houses. I stopped and rang the bell. He was very happy to receive me. He showed me around the house which was custom made with his spouse and was pleased to share the minor details related to it. We sat and talked about PAF, 102 AED etc. etc. I found him, a very fatherly and passionate person. I left with an ever-lasting impression that he belonged to an educated class which sincerely believed in the dreams of Allama Iqbal, deeply appreciated the efforts of Quaid-e-Azam and thus  migrated to Pakistan for the sake of Pakistan. May God bless him with all His kindness. May God bless him with His choicest place in Jannat-ul-Firdaus. Ameen!

Air Commodore M. Aslam Ansari (R), Pakistan Air Force

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My first posting after getting my commission in the PAF as a Flying Officer, was No. 102 MU PAF Base Drigh Road in 1972 which was being commanded by Raza sahib. I had the honor to serve under his command as Flying Officer when he was OC 102MU. He was a true commander and recognized the free spirit of us as young officers. A very caring person who always had helpful advice for newly graduated Aerospace Engineers. We saw that as the junior most officers in the unit.

We as young officers once found out that a senior officer in 102 MU  has bought all the tinned cheese from the CSD and did not give us an opportunity to buy some for ourselves. He kept in his office. We managed to get hold of it and asked the officers mess to make cheese on toast and we served it to all the unit officers including Raza sahib during tea break. The officer was furious and threatened us with dire consequences. Raza sahib called him and us to his office and told him to have a heart and enjoy the joke and the cheese on toast. Even after 50 years , I still remember this 😊.

While Raza sahib was OC 102 MU (as it was known then), the unit was responsible for the Inspection, Repair as Necessary (IRAN) or overhaul of F-86, T-33, B-57 aircraft, and the missile modification on F-6 aircraft. I worked in Aircraft Flight which was responsible for these activities. The unit was also responsible for subleasing for overhaul of the Orenda engines and J-47 engines (used on F-86E, F aircraft) (on which I worked) when I was moved to the Engine Flight and RD-9B engine (fitted on the F-6). It also disassembled and crated the aircraft and sent to China for overhaul, de-crated and assembled them after their return from overall. It was the backbone of the engineering activities of the PAF.

May Allah bless his soul, Ameen!
Air Commodore Javed Khan (R), Pakistan Air Force

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Late Air Cdre Syed Abid Raza was an excellent commander with a lovable personality. I had the pleasure working under Raza sahib’s command in the year 1973-74. I was his Officer In Charge, Supply Support Flight at 102 MU, Faisal Base, Karachi. I joined as Flying Officer and then promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
Raza sahib was an outstanding human being! He is daily in my prayers. May ALMIGHTY ALLAH shower His blessings on the late Air Cdre Syed Abid Raza and place him in Jannah among His most beloved ones. Ameen!
Group Captain M. S. Baig (R), Pakistan Air Force

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Raza sahib was my OC (Officer Commanding) at 102 MU. A very caring person who always had helpful advice for newly graduated Aerospace Engineers. He was the first senior officer under whom I served, and that was the time when a young officer learns from his seniors, and there was plenty of advice and guidance from him. He would also state that one is recognized by his ability to work and perform. I am sharing two photographs of mine. The one in coverall is when I was at 102MU, (and the other was when I retired from PAF). Hence, I would mostly be in coveralls, which would make him smile when he saw me. I was at MU from June 1970 to October 1974. When I was at 102 MU we were engaged in repair and overhaul of aircraft and all related mechanical components. So I worked on F-86 Sabre jets, T-33 jet trainer , B-57 Bombers, and F-6 ( The Chinese MIG 19).

May Allah keep him in the highest dargah of Jannat.

Group Captain Shoib Ahmed (R), Pakistan Air Force

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I was Adjutant 102 MU PAF Base, Drigh Road (now Faisal) from July 1971 to July 1972 and then got posted to PDC at Faisal. At 102 MU, I worked under (then) Wing Commander Atta Elahi Sheikh, who was later replaced by (then) Group Captain Syed Abid Raza. I did not work with Raza Sahib but being on the same Base knew him fully well. A thorough professional and a fine officer who was respected by everyone.
Wing Commander Altaf Ur Rahman Khan (R), Pakistan Air Force 

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Group Captain Abid Raza Sahib, being senior most unit commander as OC 102MU, was also acting base commander of PAF Base Drigh Road (Faisal), Karachi, Pakistan as Air Cdre Rana sahib was mostly busy with an assignment in Peshawar, Pakistan. Abid Raza Sahib was more of a friend rather than a boss. Abid Raza Sahib was a very nice man, when he was OC 102 MU in Drigh Road, and I was medical officer there from 1972-1974. He would always stop his car and give me a lift to the hospital. I also remember his young daughter died in an accident. May they rest in peace!
Flight Lieutenant Dr. Jamil Kayani (R), Pakistan Air Force