Air Commodore Syed Abid Raza
Sitara-e-Basalat
Pakistan Air Force
(1927-2000)
Photographs - Album 16: Deputy Director Project (P-721), Defence Production Division, Ministry of Defence, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
(July 1976- December 1976) &
Project Director (P-721), Defence Production Division, Ministry of Defence, Rawalpindi, Pakistan (January 1977 - June 1979)
Group Captain Syed Abid Raza was Deputy Director Project (P-721), Defence Production Division, Ministry of Defence, Rawalpindi, Pakistan (July 1976- December 1976). It was a Staff Appointment and the responsibility entailed, the planning and execution of all aspects of the Project P-721 vis work services, installation of equipment and machineries for the establishment of an "Aeronautical Overhaul Factory" for repair and overhaul of "F-6 Jet Aircraft", manufacture of aircraft spare parts and aircraft "Drop Tanks" under the Defence Production Division, Ministry of Defence, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Photograph: Group Captain Syed Abid Raza was posted in a staff role as Deputy Director Project (P-721), Defence Production Division, Ministry of Defence, Rawalpindi, Pakistan (July 1976- December 1976). He was hand-picked by PAF to be the “Deputy Director P-721 Project” at Kamra in July 1976. This strategic project was conceived for an “Aeronautical Overhaul Factory” in 1972, where facilities for repair and overhaul of jet aircraft, manufacturing of aircraft parts and drop tanks were to be established. Being the first of its’ nature, the project needed extraordinary planning and execution and was placed directly under the Ministry of Defense (Defense Production Division).
F-6 Jet Aircraft
Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e-Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam, A.H.1397 (Commemorative Medal of 100th Birth Anniversary of the Great Leader), 1976
Air Commodore Syed Abid Raza was Director Project (P-721), Defence Production Division, Ministry of Defence, Rawalpindi, Pakistan (January 1977- June 1979). It was a Staff Appointment and the responsibility entailed, the planning and execution of all aspects of the Project P-721 vis work services, installation of equipment and machineries for the establishment of an "Aeronautical Overhaul Factory" for repair and overhaul of "F-6 Jet Aircraft", manufacture of aircraft spare parts and aircraft "Drop Tanks" under the Defence Production Division, Ministry of Defence, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Photograph: Group Captain Syed Abid Raza was promoted to the rank of Air Commodore. Seeing his professional excellence, he was appointed as the Project Director P-721 in January 1977 at Defence Production Division, Ministry of Defence, Rawalpindi, Pakistan (January 1977- June 1979). The P-721 Project was behind schedule, but Air Commodore Raza managed to speedily steer this strategic asset of Pakistan in the right direction.
Photograph: Portrait of Air Commodore Syed Abid Raza, Project Director P-721 at PAC, Kamra, Pakistan. (The list of MDs is also posted online at https://www.pac.org.pk/arf-history).
Photograph: Air Commodore S. Abid Raza (Director Project P721) briefing Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zulfiqar Ali Khan on 19th November 1977. This is documented in the recently published book, MILESTONES - PICTORIAL GLIMPSES OF PAKISTAN AERONAUTICAL COMPLEX: 1973 - 2012 by Air Marshal Farhat Hussain Khan, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, & Air Cdre Qadeer Hashmi, Pakistan Air Force. Credits: Special thanks to Air Marshal Farhat Hussain Khan, HI(M), S Bt, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force for sharing the digital images and then gifting this book.
Photograph: Air Commodore Syed Abid Raza, Project Director P-721 at PAC, Kamra, Pakistan. (The list of MDs is also posted online at https://www.pac.org.pk/arf-history).
Photograph: Air Commodore Syed Abid Raza, sitting 1st from right.
Credit: Special thanks to Wing Commander Murad sahib for sharing a historical group photograph. This was a group photo on the occasion of Dining-out of my father Gp Capt GM Siddiqui, sitting beside AM Sheikh Saeed, in 1977. He retired as Project Director P-741 (later known as MRF). Mess kits were not compulsory.
Almost all the officers are of MRF (Project P-741), Engineers, Admin, Supply officers.
Sitting from L to R: -,-,-,-, AM Sheikh Saeed, Gp Capt G M Siddiqui, AM I A Khan, Air Cdre Abid Raza ( half face visible)
Standing L to R: W/C AOJC Khan, Sqn Ldr Arbab, Sqn Ldr A Z Mujeeb, Flt Lt Riaz, Wg Cdr Imtiaz Rasool, Sqn Ldr Khatib, Sqn Ldr Shafique, Flt Lt Alec Nathanial, Air Cdre N A Khan, Wg Cdr Aurengzeb, Air Cdre. Siraj, Wg Cdre Kaiser Zaman, F/O ....? (Accts Officer)”
Others are colleagues of Gp Capt G M Siddiqui in PAF: Air Cdre Quddusi, Air Cdre Siraj and some more Engineering Branch officers.
Photograph: Air Commodore Syed Abid Raza (sitting 1st from right), with Group Captain G. M. Siddiqui standing behind the group (1979).
Project Directors P721: F-6 Rebuild Factory
(The list of MDs is also posted online at https://www.pac.org.pk/arf-history).
Photograph: F-6 Rebuild Factory (1970s)
Photograph: Air Cdre Raza (3rd from Left)
Project Director F-6 Rebuild Factory (Jan 1977 - June 1979)
Photograph: Air Cdre Raza (first from right), briefing Air Chief Marshal Anwar Shamim, PAF, Government and Chinese Officials (circa 1978-1979)
Photograph: Air Cdre Raza (second from right in second row), with the Guest Dignitaries, DG PAC and other high ranking PAF & Army officials and staff (circa 1978-1979)
Front Row, Left-Right: Air Cdre (later AVM) Atta Illahi Sheikh, Guest, Chief Guest, Air Marshal Saeed Sheikh, PAF Officer
Middle Row, Left-Right: Guest, Guest, Air Cdre Raza, Air Cdre N. A. Khan
Last Row, Left-Right: Squadron Leader (later Group Captain) Rizvi, PAK Army Officer, Group Captain (later Air Cdre) Subhani, PAK Army Officer
Photograph: Air Cdre Raza with the Guest Dignitary, signing the guest book (circa 1978-1979). Squadron Leader (later Group Captain) Rizvi is first from left.
Photograph: Air Cdre Raza (fourth from right in first row), with the Guest Dignitaries, DG PAC and other high ranking PAF Officials and staff (circa 1978-1979).
Front Row, Left-Right: Air Cdre (later AVM) Atta Illahi Sheikh, Air Marshal Saeed Sheikh, Chief Guest, Air Cdre Raza, Air Cdre N. A. Khan, Wing Commander (later Group Captain) Kaiser Zaman.
Middle Row, Left-Right: Guest, Guest, Guest, Group Captain (later Air Cdre) Subhani
Last Row, Left-Right: Squadron Leader (later Wing Commander) Rasheed, Squadron Leader (later Group Captain) Rizvi
F-6 Kamra
F-6 Kamra
F-6 Kamra
Photograph: F-6 Rebuild Factory