Zafar Mahmud

{{Notability|Bio|date=September 2023}}

{{More citations needed|date=August 2023}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}

{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}

{{Other uses|Zafar Mahmood (disambiguation)}}{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Zafar Mahmud

| image = Zafar Mahmud PAF.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1923|12|04}}

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{Death date|df=yes|2016|03|20}}

| death_place = Lahore, Pakistan

| nationality = Pakistani (born under the British Raj in India)

| other_names =

| occupation = Royal Indian Air Force (1945–1947)
Pakistan Air Force (1947–1973)
Diplomat (1974–1985)

| years_active =

| known_for =

| notable_works =

| rank = 30px Air commodore

| serviceyears = 1944-1973

| battles =

| native_name = ظفر محمود

| native_name_lang = ur

}}

Zafar Mahmud ({{langx|ur|ظفر محمود}}; 4 December 1923{{cn|date=September 2023}} – 29 March 2016) was a Royal Indian Air Force officer, then an officer in the Pakistan Air Force,{{Cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/3007|title=Service Record for Air Commodore Zafar Mahmud 3007 GD(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com|website=Bharat Rakshak}}{{bsn|date=September 2023}} and later became a member of the Pakistan foreign service as an ambassador.

In the 1950s, as part of his military career, Zafar traveled to the U.S. to observe United States Air Force trainings.{{Cite news |date=14 October 1956 |title=Pakistan Colonel Is At Robins Observing Training Program |work=The Macon News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/823984054/?terms=%22Zafar%20Mahmud%22%20and%20%22air%20force%22&match=1}} In 1956, he held the rank of Wing Commander.{{Cite news |date=12 August 1956 |title=Dinner Party Honors Pakistan Air Force Officer |work=Albuquerque Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/157848784/?terms=%22Zafar%20Mahmud%22%20and%20%22air%20force%22&match=1}}

Zafar may have represented the Pakistan Air Force's interests in the Hamood-ur-Rahman commission that was created by the Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the breakup of the country into Pakistan and Bangladesh.{{Cite book |last=War |first=Pakistan Hamoodur Rehman Commission of Inquiry into the 1971 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v_xtAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Zafar+Mahmud%22 |title=The Report of the Hamoodur Rehman Commission of Inquiry Into the 1971 War, as Declassified by the Government of Pakistan |date=2000 |publisher=Vanguard |isbn=978-969-402-351-9 |language=en|quote=Names of the following officers, who were to act as the representatives of each of the three services, were intimated on Jan 12 1972. They were: (i) Air Commodore Zafar Mahmud, PAF; (ii) [...]}}{{bsn|date=August 2023}}

In 1975,{{cn|date=September 2023}} Zafar joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan and served as the country's ambassador to Somalia,{{Cite book |last= |url=http://archive.org/details/jprs-report_jprs-75137 |title=South and East Asia Report No. 870 |date=14 February 1980 |publisher=United States Joint Publications Research Service |language=English}} and Poland{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xAlJAAAAIAAJ&q=Zafar+Mahmud+ambasador+w+Polsce |title=Kronika Wielkopolski |date=1985 |publisher=Państwowe Wydawn. Naukowe |pages=310 |language=pl}}{{Cite book |last=Europa |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.146911 |title=The Europa Year Book 1982 A World Survey Vol.-i |date=1926 |pages=1005}} before retiring in 1985.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

He died due to medical complications at the Combined Military Hospital Lahore on Sunday, 20 March 2016 and was buried the same day next to his wife, Najma Mahmud, who died in 1992. Survivors include his son, daughter, as well as seven grandchildren.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzLNV6IkKZg|title=Air Commodore Zafar Mahmud Celebration of Life|via=www.youtube.com}}{{Unreliable source|date=August 2023}}