Shahid Lateef
{{Short description|Pakistani military officer}}
{{for| the Hindi film director, writer, and producer|Shaheed Latif}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Air Marshal
| name = Shahid Lateef
| honorific_suffix = HI(M), SI(M), SBt
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| birth_place = Sahiwal
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| allegiance = {{PAK}}
| branch = {{air force|PAK}}
| serviceyears = 1974–2009
| rank = 30px Air Marshal
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| commands = Vice-Chief of Air Staff (VCAS)
DCAS (Aerial Operations)
Project-Director, F-17 Thunder program
Military advisor to the UAE Air Force
| battles = Indo-Pakistani war of 1971
Soviet–Afghan War
2001 India Pakistan standoff
War in North-West Pakistan
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| awards = 60px{{small|Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military)}}
60px{{small|Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military)}}
60px{{small|Sitara-e-Basalat}}
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Shahid Lateef ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|شاہد لطیف}}}}; {{small|HI(M), SI(M), SBt}}, is a retired Pakistan Air Force three-star air marshal, geostrategist and military strategist, and political commentator. Lateef is from Pakistan city of Sahiwal.{{Citation|title=GNN Kay Sang with Air Marshal R. Shahid Latif|date= 21 Feb 2021|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NryMBPqk4m0|language=en|access-date=2021-02-28}}
A veteran fighter pilot, Lateef was commissioned in April, 1974 in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), serving in influential staff appointments during his air force career. He completed an academic degree with top honours, and was awarded a Sword of Honour from the PAF Academy in Risalpur. Lateef has performed duties as a fighter pilot in various squadrons of the PAF and was among the founders of the F-16 induction programme in the PAF.
On March 24, 2017, Lateef accused Nawaz Sharif of a "blasphemous speech" to Karachi's Hindu community.[http://indianexpress.com/article/world/notice-to-pakistani-channel-over-remarks-against-pm-nawaz-sharif-4584718/ Notice to Pakistani channel over remarks against PM Nawaz Sharif]
Biography
Lateef hailed from Sahiwal in Punjab,having a humble background with his late father being a stenographer clerk in the government. Years before Lateef was to be commissioned as an officer, he was an exceptional student at PAF Public School, Lower Topa. One of Latif's closest associates was Group Captain (R) Shamsher Ali (later commissioned in the Air Defence branch of PAF and served as DG NAB,Lahore) who had numerous anecdotal encounters with Lateef throughout his life.Both friends were extraordinarily gifted in the domain of athletic activities.In 1970, Lateef was inducted in the PAF Academy in Risalpur, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and participated in the war with India in 1971.{{cite news|last1=Baqi|first1=Abdul|title=Air Marshal Shahid Lateef: What is the story?|url=https://lubpak.com/archives/1121|accessdate=24 April 2015|agency=LUBP release|publisher=LUBP release|date=19 March 2009}} Graduated with BA degree in 1974, he stood at the top of his class in his alma mater and conferred with Sword of Honour. He gained commission in 1974 in General Duties Pilot (GDP) branch.
=Air Force career=
Due to his excellent performance on the Chinese F-6 aircraft, he moved on to the French Mirage at an early stage of his career.
He was chosen in the group of the first six PAF Pilots to undergo F-16 conversion in the United States. Lateef was the first pilot to ferry the F-16 from USA to Pakistan in 1982, and formed part of the pioneer team for training pilots in Pakistan on the F-16 weapon system. With these same pilots he flew numerous combat missions in defence of Pakistan during the Afghan war in the 1980s. He was sent to the United Arab Emirates where he was assigned the command of a Mirage squadron.{{cite news|last1=APP|title=Air Marshal Shahid Lateef appointed Vice Chief of Air Staff|url=http://app.com.pk/en_/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D20983 |accessdate=24 April 2015|agency=Associate Press of Pakistan|publisher=Associate Press of Pakistan|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402125321/http://app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20983|archivedate=2 April 2015}} He was then chosen to command a fighter squadron, fighter wing and a fighter base in the PAF.
He has had numerous key staff appointments at the Air Headquarters including the JF-17 Project.{{cite web | url=https://lubpak.com/archives/1121 | title=Air Marshal Shahid Lateef: What is the story? }}
He was to actively encouraged to the rank of Air vice Marshal, and was given the JF-17 Project; a programme that was not able to start due to difficulties, forcing the PAF to continue to operate obsolete equipment. Through his efforts, the JF-17 project finally came to life.{{cite web | url=http://www.pakistanherald.com/profile/air-marshal-r-shahid-lateef-1314 | title=Air Marshal (R) Shahid Lateef }}
He served the Air Force of Pakistan from September, 1971 to April, 2006. In recognition of his services he was awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military), Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-i-Basalat.{{cite web |url=http://app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20983 |title=Associated Press of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - Air Marshal Shahid Lateef appointed Vice Chief of Air Staff |accessdate=2015-03-19 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402125321/http://app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20983 |archivedate=2015-04-02 }}
Defense analyst
After retirement from the PAF, Lateef started a new career as a defense analyst and appeared on a number of talk shows and gave his expert analysis on geopolitical affairs. Lateef has given bold opinions against several political developments and personalities in the country.
However, later into his life, Lateef reportedly distanced himself from the public eye, simultaneously cutting off relations with some of his closest confidants, including Group Captain (R) Shamsher. This alarming change in behaviour has suspected to stem from a throat disease Lateef suffers from which makes it unpleasant for him to maintain social interaction.
Awards and decorations
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| colspan="4" |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|ribbon=PAF GDP Red.png|width=250}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Hilal-e-Imtiaz.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Imtiaz.png|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Basalat.png|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War.png|width=130}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Baqa (1998).png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Istaqlal (2002).png|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=10 years Service Medal.png|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=20 years Service Medal.png|width=130}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=30 years Service Medal.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=35 years Service Medal.png|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e-Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam.png|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Hijri Tamgha.png|width=130}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Jamhuriat Tamgha 1988.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha Pakistan.svg|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal, 2006.svg|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Military Unity Star (UAE).png|width=130}} |
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| colspan="4" |PAF GD(P) Badge RED (More than 3000 Flying Hours) |
| | colspan="2" |Hilal-e-Imtiaz
(Crescent of Excellence) | |
| Hilal-e-Imtiaz
(Crescent of Excellence) (Star of Excellence) (Star of Good Conduct) (War Medal 1971) |
| Tamgha-e-Baqa
1998 2002 |
| 30 Years Service Medal
(100th Birth Anniversary of 1976 (Hijri Medal) 1979 |
| Jamhuriat Tamgha
(Democracy Medal) 1988 (Resolution Day Golden Jubilee Medal) 1990 (Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal) 1997 |Military Unity Star (UAE) |
= Foreign Decorations =
| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" style="background:#006400; color:#FFFFFF; text-align:center" |Foreign Awards |
| {{flag|UAE}}
|Military Unity Star (1986) |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Military Unity Star (UAE).png|width=130}} |
|---|
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lateef, Shahid}}
Category:Pakistan Air Force air marshals
Category:Recipients of Sitara-i-Imtiaz
Category:Recipients of Hilal-i-Imtiaz
Category:Pakistani military personnel of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Category:Pakistan Air Force Academy alumni
Category:Pakistani test pilots