Tribute
Raja Jahanzeb
-- a legend

  By Muhammad Ali Piracha

It was a cold morning on 22nd January, 2008. The golden rays of the sun were spreading warmth all over while a soft breeze was playing with the tree leaves. There was something different about that day.

The flight commander at the Risalpur airbase gave his final instructions to Jahanzeb Raja, a bright young man of 20. Full of life, determination, and vigour, he put on his helmet and closed the cockpit above him in the T-37 trainer plane. It was his first solo flight, and he was going to ace it. With the go ahead from the airbase, Jahanzeb gave a thumbs-up signal, and released the brake. The plane started to taxi.

On the same day, students at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute were attending their classes. Teachers were preparing their lectures for the evening labs. Some of the students were lined up at the bank, getting their cheques cashed and paying mess' bills. It was just a usual day and no one knew what was to come.

Half an hour later, Jahanzeb was flying around Topi on his first nearly successful solo flight, as a senior colleague of his followed on another T-37 plane to guide him. By then Jahanzeb had sensed a problem. There was something wrong with his jet's engines…

It was lunch time then, and as the hour hand on the tall clock tower at GIKI struck 1, students rushed towards the café. They were soon busy discussing their routine matters over cups of coffee after the tiring stretch of morning classes. Some had gone to the campus restaurant and hostel messes for lunch, while the rest had gone back to their rooms for an afternoon nap. A gardener, in the meantime, had made his way to the back lawn of the bank where he had earlier chopped some dry twigs.

Jahanzeb tried to fix the engine problem of the aircraft, but something had gone terribly wrong. Sweat must've streamed down his forehead while he remained rooted to his seat. All the lectures he had received on flight training had probably rushed through his head. He must have tried everything in his power to make correct the problem, but all his efforts proved futile. Jahanzeb reported his dilemma to the airbase control tower. However, before anyone could have done something to get to the bottom of the fault, both the plane's engines failed. The great steel bird that flew like an eagled turned into a wounded sparrow, and stiffly started losing altitude, preparing to meet its end.

At an altitude of 6000 feet and still declining, the T-37 aircraft was on its way down. They couldn't wait anymore. The airbase ordered Jahanzeb to eject. It was the only way to save the pilot's life. But young Jahanzeb would have none of it. As he glanced towards the red ejection button, he had another thought to contend with. He would eject, open his parachute, and sail slowly to the ground, but what about his plane? Where would it crash? To the right, on the population of Topi? Or to the left, where the young future engineers studied? He couldn't do it. The risk could not be taken. Too many lives would be lost and he couldn't have lived with the guilt.

A million thoughts must have crossed his mind in that millisecond he had taken to make his choice. But with unwavering courage, Jahanzeb stuck to his final decision. He wirelessed the airbase and told them that he couldn't let his plane be the cause of the death of civilians. He told them that he would give one last shot at trying to land his plane on a safe spot, but the chances were very slim. But in God he trusted, and his faith was strong. His colleague, on another T-37, followed close behind giving him moral support and trying to help him out of the crisis that had evolved.

In GIKI, Hassan, an undergraduate engineering student, made his way to the campus shop when he noticed a plane rushing towards the narrow road ahead. The aircraft was flying dangerously low and was heading towards the faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Suddenly it became unstable, and started spinning as it lost control.

Jahanzeb must've tried his best, aiming to land at the road that runs along the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Material Sciences, and the campus shop. He wanted to try and land, but as his plane neared the ground, it became unstable. It was going to crash. The faces of his family members, his friends, his future plans – everything must have flashed past his eyes. But he knew his purpose was noble. He was going to die a noble death. A warrior's death. He was going to live forever, as a shaheed.

Hassan saw the aircraft spin out of control and he was rooted to the ground. In the fragment of a second the plane went behind the trees. There was a stiff pause of fright followed by a huge explosion. Raging fire tore through the cloud of thick smoke that rose above and the plane blew into pieces.

Hundreds of students stood frozen in fear as the flash of bright red light shone through the windows of the main lecture hall in the faculties Material Sciences and Mechanical Engineering. The windows of the faculty closer to ground zero and the bank shattered. There was panic and students rushed to the scene to investigate. The sight of what had happened brought tears to their eyes.

Jahanzeb Raja sacrificed his life to save ours. He could have ejected when given the orders, and there would have been no blame upon him. But he put his faith to test and won. He managed to maneuver the plane and crash it on a narrow empty road despite the plane being out of control. He missed the bank, the 2 faculties, and the huge clock tower and made it to a clear spot. Jahanzeb had succeeded. It was the destiny he had chosen.

The jet of Jahanzeb's colleague circled around the scene for a while, but he knew that what was done could not be undone. Soon after, the police arrived and took control of the situation. The fire was soon put out. The Air Force personnel arrived in a helicopter to analyze the scene.

Unfortunately, some of the shrapnel hit the gardener working close by and seriously injured him. He was rushed to the GIKI hospital, but he expired soon.

The loss of such a brave soul, Jahanzeb, and the civilian gardener was immense. But thanks to the courage of Raja, we are still here, living our lives. With every breath we take, we thank him for his courage, kindness, and the sacrifice he made for us. It is because of his swift thinking selfless outlook and decision making that we, the GIKIians are safe.

Hammad Fauz Akhwand, a student at GIKI says, "This incident changed my way of thinking. The pilot, instead of ejecting from the plane when he knew it was going to crash, maneuvered the plane and kept it on the road away from the buildings and places nearby, where students hang out during the day. Had he ejected from the plane, he would have survived, but the crash might have taken the lives of 300+ people working/studying there at that time. In short, he sacrificed his life for the sake of others."

We salute you, Jahanzeb, for your selfless act. May your soul rest in peace. Amen.