March 18, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 9, 1429

MIANWALI, March 17: The women pilots of the Pakistan Air Force have completed their operational conversion on F-7 fighter aircraft. According to a PAF announcement, three women pilots along with 20 male colleagues graduated on Monday after completing their operational conversion course on F-7 fighter aircraft. “They will now be deployed in different fighter squadrons of the PAF,” it said.

The graduation ceremony of operational conversion course was held at the PAF Base, Mianwali. Air Vice Marshal Faaiz Amir, Air Officer Commanding Northern Air Command was the chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest said told the pass-outs the day marked the beginning of a new demanding era in their professional career. “As proud inheritors of glorious traditions, you'll not only be expected to live up to the finest examples of devotion, courage and professional excellence but also keep pace with the modern aviation trends to set new standards."

He hoped that woman members of the fighters’ community, as pioneers, would not only be pace setters in professional standards but in them lay the destiny of many aspiring young ladies who were keen to share their experiences to decide about their future.

He also commended base personnel for their painstaking efforts undertaken for safe, smooth and timely graduation. In the two operational conversion courses, graduated on Monday, flying officer Nadir Ali won trophies for overall best performance and best in flying in one course, while in the other, flying officers Arslan Zahoor and Kamran Safdar were the recipient of trophies for best in flying and overall best performance, respectively. — Correspondent