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{{Short description|Pakistani fighter pilot (1927–2003)}}
{{About|the general|the banker|Zafar Masud (banker)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = '''[[Air Commodore]]'''
| name = Zafar Masud
| honorific_suffix = [[File:Hilal-e-Jurat Medal.png|30px]] '''[[Hilal-e-Jurat]]''' [[Hilal-i-Jurat|HJ]] [[Sitara-e-Basalat|SBt]] [[Order of Independence (Jordan)|OI(J)]]
| image = Air-Commodore Mohammad Mitty Zafar Masud PAF.jpg
| image_size = 190px
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name = Muhammad Masud Zafar
| other_name =
| nickname = ''MZ Masud'' ''Mitty''
| birth_date = {{birth-date|17 October 1927}}
| birth_place = [[Gujranwala]], [[Punjab, British India|Punjab]], [[British Indian Empire|India]] (Present-day Gujranwala, Punjab in Pakistan)
| death_date = {{death-date and age|7 October 2003|17 October 1927}}
| death_place = [[PAF Hospitals|PAF Hospital Islamabad]] in Islamabad
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial = [[PAF Base Nur Khan|PAF Cemetery]], [[PAF Base Nur Khan|Nur Khan Air Force Base]]
| placeofburial_coordinates = 
| allegiance = Pakistan
| branch =
| serviceyears = 1946–1971
| serviceyears_label =
| rank = [[File:US-O7 insignia.svg|15px]] [[Air Commodore|Air-Commodore]]
| rank_label =
| servicenumber = '''3314'''
| unit = [[No. 9 Squadron (Pakistan Air Force)|No. 9 Squadron ''Griffins'']]
| commands = PAF Base, [[Dhaka]] [[PAF Base Sargodha]] [[Sherdils|PAF Sherdils]] [[No. 11 Squadron (Pakistan Air Force)|No. 11 Squadron ''Arrows'']]
| battles_label =
| battles = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
* [[Indo-Pakistani Air War of 1965]]
[[Bangladesh Liberation War]]
| awards = [[File:Hilal-e-Jurat.png|60px]] [[Hilal-i-Jurat|Hilal-e-Jurat]] [[File:Sitara-e-Basalat.png|60px]] [[Sitara-e-Basalat]] [[File:Order of Independence - Knight (Jordan).png|60px]] [[Order of Independence]]
| memorials =
| spouse = Elizabeth Harniette
| relations =
| children =
| laterwork = [[Flight instructor]]
| signature =
| signature_size =
| signature_alt =
| website = 
| module =
}}

[[Air commodore|Air Commodore]] '''Muhammad Zafar Masud''' {{post-nominals|country=GB, PK|list=[[Hilal-i-Jurat|HJ]] [[Sitara-e-Basalat|SBt]] [[Order of Independence (Jordan)|OI(J)]]}} ({{lang-ur|{{Nastaliq|محمد مسعود ظفر }}}} ; 17 October 1927<ref name=":0" /> – 7 October 2003) also known as '''Mitty Masud''', was a [[One star general|one star]] [[air officer]] in the [[Pakistan Air Force]] and a military strategist who was known for his role as air officer commanding of the [[Dacca]] airbase in East Pakistan.

Masud had the [[Area of responsibility|area responsibility]] of defending the [[India-East Pakistan border|airspace border]] of [[East Pakistan]], but resigned from his commission after the [[Operation Searchlight|military operation]] took place 26 March 1971, and left the command to Air Cdre Inamul Haq on 30 March 1971.<ref name="AMZ Publications, Yousaf" />

==Biography==
===Early life===
Muhammad Masud Zafar was born in [[Gujranwala]], [[Punjab, British India|Punjab]], in [[British Indian Empire|British India]] to a prominent<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Yousaf |first=Nasim |date=6 September 2016 |title=Air Commodore Zafar Masud: A Pakistani Hero |url=https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/opinion/blog/air-commodore-zafar-masud-a-pakistani-hero/ |access-date=4 July 2020 |work=Daily Pakistan |language=en}}</ref> [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] family in 1927.<ref name="News International, 2003">{{cite news |title=A tribute to Air Commodore Zafar Masud (HJ, SBt) |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/14411-a-tribute-to-air-commodore-zafar-masud-(hj-sbt) |access-date=7 August 2017 |work=The News International |date=7 October 2003 |type=Editorial}}</ref> His father, Zafar Hussain, was an alumnus of [[University of the Punjab|Punjab University]] and served as a civil officer in the [[Indian Railways]]. When his father was appointed as a senior officer of the [[Indian Railway Board|Railway Board]], the family moved to [[New Delhi|Delhi]].<ref name="News International, 2003"/> In 1946, Masud graduated from [[Robin Model High School|Model High School]] and was commissioned into the [[Royal Indian Air Force]] (RIAF) to become a [[fighter pilot]].<ref name="News International, 2003" />

===Air Force instructor===
When India was [[Partition of India|partitioned]] in 1947, Masud joined the newly created [[Pakistan Air Force]].<ref name="News International, 2003" /> He did not participate in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947|first war]] with India in 1947 as he joined the air force faculty.<ref name="News International, 2003" /> In 1948, [[Flying Officer|F/O]] Masud joined the faculty of [[Pakistan Air Force Academy|Air Force Academy]] in [[Risalpur]] where he began [[flight instruction]]s to young air force cadets.<ref name="News International, 2003" /> In 1952, he did further training on [[flight]] management and qualified as a fighter pilot when he completed a Fighter Leader Course at the [[Royal Air Force|RAF]].<ref name="Iktedar Khan">{{cite news |last1=Khan |first1=Iqtedar A. |title=Tribute to Mitty Masud |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1065198/dawn-letters-october-28-2003#1 |access-date=7 August 2017 |work=Dawn |date=28 October 2022}}</ref> In 1957–58, [[Wing Commander (rank)|Wg.Cdr.]] Masud was tasked by [[Commander in Chief (Pakistan Air Force)|Air Cdr-in-C]], [[Air Marshal]] [[Asghar Khan]], to organize, train, and lead an [[aerobatics]] team, the [[Sherdils|PAF Sherdils]], of 16 [[North American F-86 Sabre|F-86 Sabre jets]] that would set a world record, validating the PAF's place among the well-regarded air arms of the world.<ref name="DAWN - Features 2003">{{cite news |last1=Khan |first1=ACM Jamal A. |author-link1=Jamal A. Khan |title=Mitty Masud folds his wings |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1065137/dawn-features-october-13-2003#2 |access-date=7 August 2017 |work=Dawn |date=13 October 2022}}</ref>

===1965 War and staff appointments===

[[Group Captain|Gp Capt.]] Masud's first command assignment was included as [[base commander]] [[Sargodha Airbase|Sargodha Air Force Base]], which would emerged him as the top hero of the 1965 war.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ahmed |first1=Ayaz |title=Obituary - A Hero Fades away |url=http://www.defencejournal.com/feb-mar99/hero-fades.htm |work=Defence Journal |access-date=7 August 2017 |date=March 1999 |pages=4–6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225041652/http://www.defencejournal.com/feb-mar99/hero-fades.htm |archive-date=25 February 2021}}</ref>{{rp|Conts}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bowman |first1=Martin |title=Cold War Jet Combat: Air-to-Air Jet Fighter Operations 1950-1972 |date=2016 |publisher=Pen and Sword |isbn=978-1-4738-7462-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jliqCwAAQBAJ&q=Masud&pg=PT135 |access-date=8 January 2022}}</ref>

In 1965, he actively participated in [[Indo-Pakistani war of 1965|second war]] with India when he led a team of fighter pilots, including Flt. Lt [[Mervyn Middlecoat]], Sqn. Ldr. [[Cecil Chaudhry]], and Sq. Ldr. [[Muhammad Mahmood Alam|MM Allam]], against the [[Indian Air Force]].<ref name="Daily Pakistan 2004">{{cite news |last1=Yousaf |first1=Nasim |title=Air Commodore Zafar Masud and the Separation of East Pakistan |url=https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/opinion/blog/air-commodore-zafar-masud-and-the-separation-of-east-pakistan/ |access-date=7 August 2017 |work=Daily Pakistan |date=10 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151215012449/https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/opinion/blog/air-commodore-zafar-masud-and-the-separation-of-east-pakistan/ |archive-date=15 December 2022}}</ref> Gp Capt. Masud flew against the Indian Air Force in Sargodha Sector with great courage and was regarded as an ace fighter for his ability in [[dogfight]] against the Indian pilots.<ref name="ISPR Hilal Magazine">{{cite magazine |last1=Qadir, PA |first1=Col. Azam |title=A Pakistan Army Doctor Who Took Surrender of the Indian Air Force Jet |magazine=ISPR Hilal Magazine |year=2016 |volume=53 |issue=9 |pages=2–4 |url=http://hilal.gov.pk/index.php/layouts/item/2290-a-pakistan-army-doctor-who-took-surrender-of-the-indian-air-force-jet |access-date=8 August 2017 |publisher=ISPR |location=Islamabad, Pakistan}}</ref>

From 1966 to 1969, Gp Capt. Masud continued his role as a flight instructor with the [[Pakistan Air Force|Air Force]] and was appointed in the [[AHQ (PAF)|Air AHQ]] as Director-General of Air Operations (DGAO).<ref name="News International, 2003" /> In 1969, Gp. Capt. Masud was promoted to one star rank, Air Commodore, and was being speculated as a probable future air force chief once the retirement of Air Marshal [[Abdur Rahim Khan]].<ref name="DAWN - Features 2003" />

===Bangladesh liberation war===
{{Main|Pakistan Eastern Command|Bangladesh liberation war}}

In 1970, Air Cdre Masud was appointed as the [[Air Officer Commanding]] (AOC) of Dacca airbase, East Pakistan.<ref name="Daily Pakistan 2004" />

In April 1971, Air Cdre Masud relayed his concern to then-[[Governor of East Pakistan|Governor East]] Vice-Admiral [[Syed Mohammad Ahsan]] and [[Pakistan Eastern Command|Eastern Command]] commander Lieutenant-General [[Sahabzada Yaqub Khan|Yaqub Ali Khan]], who decided to call upon President General [[Yahya Khan]] to visit East Pakistan. Air Cdre Masud was in clear view that [[Guerrilla warfare|situation was such]] that the army could not hold the ground of it, and had lobbied for supporting the [[Admiral Ahsan Mission|Ahsan-Yakob Mission]] for resolving the peaceful solution.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Osman. |first1=Mitha, Aboobaker |title=Unlikely beginnings: a soldier's life |date=2003 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Karachi |isbn=978-0-19-579413-7 |pages=333–334}}</ref>

In March 1971, [[President Yahya Khan]] finally arrived in Dhaka and chaired a meeting at the Eastern Command HQ where Air Cdre Masud argued in favor of political solution, noting that "''in the prevailing military imbalance, a semi-autonomous East Pakistan was far preferable to the certainty of a military defeat in the event that India decided to intervene''".<ref name="DAWN - Features 2003" /> During the meeting, President Yahya interjected several times and was in view of agreeing with Air Cdre Masud's view and supported his stance by quoting: "You must surely know that I too do not want a war and am doing my best to persuade [[Sheikh Mujibur Rahman|Mujib]] and [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto|Bhutto]] to find a way out of the crisis".<ref name="Yale University Press, Tripathi">{{cite book |last1=Tripathi |first1=Salil |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DyTUCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT199 |title=The Colonel Who Would Not Repent: The Bangladesh War and Its Unquiet Legacy |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2016 |isbn=978-0-300-22102-2 |pages=188–189 |author-link=Salil Tripathi}}</ref>

On 7 March 1971, Governor East [[Syed Mohammad Ahsan|Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan]] and Eastern Commander Lieutenant-General Yaqub Ali Khan were relieved of their respected post, leaving to [[Tikka Khan|Lieutenant-General Tikka Khan]] who initiated the massive military crackdown after the [[1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals|raid in the]] [[Dhaka University]].{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} Air Cdre Masud suffered high-level local defections from his own staff when Group Captain [[A. K. Khandker]] and Wing Commander [[Khademul Bashar|M. K. Bashar]] escaped to India in May 1971.<ref name="Indian Left Review">{{cite journal |last=Alam |first=Badrul |author-link=Syed Badrul Ahsan |date=March 1973 |title=How Bangladesh Air Force was Born |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Oe4sAAAAIAAJ&q=Khandker+ |journal=Indian Left Review |volume=II |issue=1 |page=67}}</ref> During Operation Blitzkrieg, Masud refused an order to dispatch an air strike against armed civilians.<ref name="Yale University Press, Tripathi"/>

During this time, Masud made many contacts with President Yahya Khan but was unable to reach to him, eventually deciding to visit in [[GHQ (Pakistan)|Army GHQ]] in [[Rawalpindi]].{{citation needed|date=September 2022}} Masud handed over the air command to Air Cdre [[Inamul Haque Khan]] and arrived in Pakistan but was unable to hold the meeting with President Yahya which eventually led Masud disheartened and frustrated.<ref name="Daily Pakistan 2004" />

Despite urging against the early and premature retirement, Masud tendered his resignation from the Pakistan Air Force, which attracted the [[News channels in Pakistan|news media correspondents]] who tried getting his opinion but he declined to comment.<ref name="Daily Pakistan 2004" />

===Later life and death===

After seeking retirement in July 1971, Masud worked as a civilian [[flight instructor]] for the Rawalpindi Flying Club from 1974 onwards for some years.<ref name="AMZ Publications, Yousaf">{{cite book |last1=Yousaf |first1=Nasim |title=Air Commodore M. Zafar Masud - A Pioneer of the Pakistan Air Force |date=2015 |publisher=AMZ Publications |location=Karachi |isbn=978-0-9826110-6-7 |pages=126–134 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MisPrgEACAAJ&q=Mitty+masud |access-date=8 August 2022}}</ref>

He was married to a [[German people|German national]], Elizabeth, who worked as technician at [[Siemens Pakistan|Siemens Engineering]] in 1959; his wife died in 2019. He had one son, Salaar, who became a Software engineer.<ref name=":0" /> Masud died due to a [[cardiac arrest]] in [[PAF Hospitals|PAF Hospital]] in [[Islamabad]] and is buried at PAF cemetery in [[Chaklala]]; the place of burial of his wife is in [[Karachi]].<ref name="DAWN - Features 2003" />

== Awards and decorations ==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| colspan="4" |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Hilal-e-Jurat.png|width=130}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Basalat.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Diffa.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War Ribbon.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=War Medal 1965(Tamgha-e-Jang, A.H.1385).png|width=130}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award‐star|ribbon=Pakistan Independence Medal 1947.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Republic Medal 1956 (Pakistan).png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ribbon - War Medal.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Order of Independence - Knight (Jordan).png|width=130}}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|
| colspan="2" |'''[[Hilal-i-Jurat|Hilal-e-Jurat]]'''
''(Crescent of Courage)''

'''[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|1965 War]]'''
|
|-
|'''[[Sitara-e-Basalat]]'''
(''Star of Good Conduct'')
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces|Tamgha-e-Diffa]]'''
''(General Service Medal'')
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War]]'''
''(War Star 1965)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War]]'''
''(War Medal 1965)''
|-
|'''[[Pakistan Medal|Pakistan Tamgha]]'''
''([[Pakistan Medal]])''

'''1947'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Tamgha-e-Jamhuria]]'''
''(Republic Commemoration Medal)''

'''1956'''
|'''[[War Medal 1939-1945|War Medal]]'''
'''[[War Medal 1939-1945|1939-1945]]'''
|'''[[Order of Independence (Jordan)|Order of Independence]]'''
'''''('''[[Jordan]]''')'''''
|}

=== Foreign decorations ===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" style="background:#006400; color:#FFFFFF; text-align:center" |'''Foreign Awards'''
|-
!'''{{flag|UK}}'''
|'''[[War Medal 1939–1945|War Medal]]''' '''[[War Medal 1939–1945|1939–1945]]'''
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ribbon - War Medal.png|width=130}}
|-
!'''{{flag|Jordan}}'''
|'''[[Order of Independence (Jordan)|Order of Independence]]'''
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Order of Independence - Knight (Jordan).png|width=130}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4WvouBEwkw World record by Air Cdre Masud]

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding, Pakistan Air Force Base Dacca |years=1970 – 7 March 1971}}
{{s-aft|after=Air Commodore [[Inamul Haque Khan]]}}
{{end}}

{{Military of Pakistan}}
{{Liberation of Bangladesh}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Masud, Zafar}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Gujranwala District]]
[[Category:People from Islamabad]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:Pakistan Air Force personnel]]
[[Category:Pakistan Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Pakistani flying aces]]
[[Category:Air marshals of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
[[Category:People of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
[[Category:National Defence University, Pakistan faculty]]
[[Category:Pakistani conscientious objectors]]
[[Category:Counterinsurgency theorists]]
[[Category:Guerrilla warfare theorists]]
[[Category:Pakistan International Airlines people]]

Zafar Masud - Revision history

Bot: robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.

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