On Friday, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber, Chief of the Air Staff, fulfilled the lifelong dream of thalassemia sufferer Abdullah Naveed by making him a pilot at a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) base for the day. Abdullah Naveed had always dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot, reflecting the traditional affiliation of many young Pakistanis with the PAF.
The activity was sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Pakistan and included Abdullah’s visit to a PAF operational base where he was awarded an honorary rank by Southern Air Command Air Officer Commanding Air Vice Marshal Khalid Mehmood and Base Commander Air Commodore Asim Rana in the usual PAF manner.
During the sponsored activity by Make-A-Wish Foundation, Pakistan, Master Abdullah Naveed, who is suffering from thalassemia, was given an honorary rank and made a pilot for a day at an operational base of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
He was also given a simulated experience of flying a fighter aircraft and toured different units/wings of the base. Accompanied by his parents and Make-A-Wish Foundation founding president Ishtiaq Baig, Abdullah expressed his happiness and excitement about the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
