PAF Base Rafiqui
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Pakistan Air Force Base Rafiqui formerly known as PAF Base Shorkot (Template:Comma separated entries), is a Pakistan Air Force base located within the outskirts of Shorkot city in the Jhang District of Pakistan's Punjab province and around Template:Convert south of Islamabad. The airbase was named in honor of Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui, a war hero from the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war who is famous for fighting Indian Hawker Hunters and covering his flight members in an F-86 Sabre with jammed guns. It is the home of Central Air Command's 34th Tactical Attack Wing (34 TA Wing). [1][2]
History
In the aftermath of the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war, the AHQ commenced a survey to enhance the already deficient infrastructure of the air force. The high command's survey concluded with the decision to construct an alternative base to the main Sargodha airbase. For this purpose, two sites were chosen in 1966 for the new planned airbase at Jhang and Shorkot. The site at Jhang was preferred due to many factors but since there was pressure on the PAF not to construct a military base in such close proximity to the historic city of Jhang, the idea was dropped with the site at Shorkot was ultimately selected and in 1968, a small satellite station named PAF Shorkot was constructed. During the 1971 crisis, it was activated and received its first base commander with 23 squadron deploying her F-6s there. The war made the PAF leadership realize the operational importance of the base and it was subsequently transformed into an MOB by 1973 and renamed PAF Base Rafiqui in honor of Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui, a fallen fighter pilot of the 1965 war who is famous for leading airstrikes on the Indian military and recipient of both the Hilal-e-Jurat and Sitara-e-Jurat. [1][3] Since the topography of the surrounding areas of the airbase was mostly barren lands, the base administration initiated a major development and forestation project which saw extensive transformation of the base's topography. Gardens, orchards, nurseries and plantations were grown which completely changed the base's overall geography. [4]
2025 Indian Airstrikes
On 10 May 2025, the airbase was targeted by Indian missile strikes during the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict though the Pakistan Armed Forces claimed its air defences had intercepted most of the rockets. [5][6][7]
Units
The base is home to the following squadrons:[8]
- No. 14 Squadron "Tail Choppers"
- No. 25 Squadron "Eagles"
- No. 27 Squadron "Zarrars"
- No. 50 Squadron "Saf Shikan"
- No. 83 SAR Squadron "Kites"
See also
References
External links
Template:Air Bases of Pakistan Air Force Template:Active Pakistan Air Force bases
- ↑ a b PAF Base Rafiqui /Shorkot Cantt GlobalSecurity.org website, Retrieved 5 October 2021
- ↑ Pakistan Air Force Bases nuke.fas.org website, Retrieved 5 October 2021
- ↑ Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui: Shaheed of 1965 War Fearlesswarriors.pk website, Retrieved 5 October 2021
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