Throughout, undaunted by constant fire from enemy small arms, tanks and artillery, he organised the defence of the canal, directing his men to answer the fire until he was hit by an enemy tank shell and embraced martyrdom on 10 September 1965.
Major General Abrar Hussain
On the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Abrar Hussain opted for Pakistan. In 1949, he graduated from the Command and Staff College, Quetta. He was promoted Brigadier in 1956. As Military Secretary from 1958 to 1964, he was also president of the Army Reforms Committee. Promoted Major General in 1964, he was given the task of converting 100 (Independent) Armoured Brigade Group into 6 Armoured Division. The fact that he was an infantry officer and yet had been entrusted with the raising of an armoured formation, speaks volumes of the esteem in which he was held by the Army High Command. His task was far from complete, when India invaded Pakistan on 6 September 1965. The 6 Armoured Division was still a paper formation without a division's normal complement of fighting or supporting elements. There were only two armoured regiments and one infantry battalion, while there were no integral brigade headquarters in the division.
The main thrust of the Indian offensive was in the Sialkot Sector, where they attacked with three infantry and one armoured divisions. Facing them was the overstitched 15 Infantry Division. As enemy intentions became clear, and he made inroads towards Chawinda, 6 Armoured Division was inducted into the battle. The 24 Infantry Brigade was provided to General Abrar, and with these meagre resources, he was ordered stop the enemy.
Lieutenant General Akhtar Hussain Malik
As GOC 12th Division, he was the overall commander for Operation Grand Slam in the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965. For his successful handling of the initial phase of the operation, he was awarded the Hilal-i-Jurat, the second highest gallantry award of the Pakistan Army. Controversially, the command was handed over to General Yahya Khan in mid operation, resulting in delay and eventual failure of the operation. The cause for this midway switch over is an object of speculation to this day.
Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui (Shaheed)
"On 6 September 1965, Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Ahmad Rafiqui led a formation of 3 F-86 aircraft on a strike against Halwara airfield. The formation was intercepted by about 10 Hunter aircraft out of which Squadron Leader Rafiqui accounted for one in the first few seconds. But then his guns jammed due to a defect and stopped firing. However, Rafiqui refused to leave the battle area which he would have been perfectly justified to do; instead he ordered his No 2 to take over as leader and continue the engagement while he tried to give the formation as much protection as was possible with an unarmed aircraft. This called on the part of Squadron Leader Rafiqui. The end for him was never in doubt but he chose to disregard it and, in the process, his aircraft was shot down and he was killed but not before enabling his formation to shoot down 3 more Hunter aircraft. Rafiqui's conduct was clearly beyond the call of duty and conformed to the highest traditions of leadership and bravery in battle against overwhelming odds. For this and his earlier exploits, he is awarded Hilal-i-Jurat and Sitara-i-Jurat"
Squadron Leader Muhammad Mahmood Alam
Muhammad Mahmood Alam (known as M.M. Alam; 6 July 1935 - 18 March 2013) was a Pakistani fighter pilot, an F-86 Sabre flying ace and one-star general who served with the Pakistan Air Force. Squadron Leader Muhammad Mahmud Alam, Commander of No 11 Squadron, was already a notable leader and highly experienced pilot in 1965, when he was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat ("The star of courage"), a Pakistani military decoration, for his actions during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Alam holds the record of having downed five Indian aircraft in less than a minute.
Squadron Leader Muhammad Mahmud Alam emerged from 1965 War as Pakistan's top scoring fighter ace. The picture shows him in his favourite F-86 F-35-NA with the victory tally marked on the aircraft (Nine kills and two probable). Squadron Leader Muhammad Mahmud Alam, Commander of No 11 Squadron in 1965, was already a notable leader and highly experienced pilot. He also excelled in gunnery competition as a skill that without a doubt contributed greatly to his becoming the first and the only jet ace in one mission.
Alam was listed on the top of the hall of fame list at the PAF Museum in Karachi. Alam is considered a national hero for Pakistan, most significantly for his service in the war of 1965 when he was posted at Sargodha. During this war he was involved in various dogfights while flying his F-86 Sabre fighter. He downed nine Indian Hawker Hunter fighters in air-to-air combat, and damaged two others.
In one mission on 7 September 1965, Alam downed five Indian aircraft in less than a minute, the last four within 30 seconds, establishing a world record, with total of nine aircraft downed in the war. Alam's confirmed kills are as follows:
-- 6 September 1965
-- Squadron Leader Ajit Kumar Rawlley, No 7 Sqn, KIA near Tarn Taran.
-- 7 September 1965,
-- Squadron Leader OnkarNathKacker, No 27 Sqn, POW
-- Squadron Leader A B Devayya, No 7 Sqn.
-- Squadron Leader Suresh B Bhagwat, No 7 Sqn
-- Flight Lieutenant B Guha, No 7 Sqn
-- Flying Officer Jagdev Singh Brar, No 7 Sqn, KIA, near Sangla Hill.
-- 16 September 1965
-- Flying Officer Farokh Dara Bunsha, No 7 Sqn, KIA, near Amritsar