Pakistan

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi becomes first Pakistani PM to fly in F-16 fighter jet

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday became the country’s first premier to fly in a US-made F-16 fighter aircraft, various media reports said.

Abbasi, on visit to the newly-established Airpower Center of Excellence (ACE) at an operational air base of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), flew in the single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft.

The facility at Mushaf Air base in Punjab’s Sargodha city is a premier institution which has been equipped with state of the art facilities and infrastructure. Besides training PAF personnel, this institute would also train the combat crew of friendly air forces by conducting multinational, training exercises.

According to a report in Geo News, the 58-year-old became the first-ever prime minister of Pakistan to participate in an air force sortie.

The Prime Minister was also briefed on the ongoing exercise ‘Saffron Bandit’ and was informed that the first ever multinational exercise will be held in October and would have participation from personnel from 19 air forces.

Air Chief Sohail Aman, who had earlier received the prime minister, briefed him over PAF’s contribution to nation building and in the field of education.

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