Former Air Marshal Azim Daudpota, celebrated as a hero of the 1965 War, passed away Monday at the age of 84 after battling a number of illnesses, a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) spokesperson said.
“As a courageous pilot, a sincere professional and a patriotic Pakistani, Azim Daudpota served as a model and inspiration not only for the airmen of Pakistan but also for the Muslims of the world,” Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman was quoted as saying in a statement released by the PAF.
Daudpota joined the air force on Dec 15, 1955 and served as a squadron leader in the 1965 war, during which he participated in a bombing campaign in the Wagah-Attari sector, the statement read.
In 1983, Daudpota also served as a foreign commander in the Airforce of Zimbabwe and was awarded the Zimbabwe Order Of Merit by Robert Mugabe, president of the republic.
He also served as governor of Sindh between 1999 and 2000.
The air marshal’s funeral prayers will be offered at PAF Base Faisal.
