Farooq Umar

Farooq also presides the "AVM Farooq Foundation" which provides inspirational material to the youth and general public. For this, he wrote a book "Learn The Secrets of Success" containing the rules of Self Motivation and determination to achieve goals. The first edition of the book was published in September 2013 followed by the second edition in November 2013 due to a quick and warm response of readers. The preface of the book was written by Muhammad Mahmood Alam, a well known war veteran and Flying ace of the 1965 War.

Farooq served as the President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation from 1993–96. Until quite recently he was the elected President of Majlis-e-Quaid-e-Azam, President AFOS (Falcon Enclave), Vice President PAFROA Punjab and Patron in Chief Al-Shaoor Welfare Association (All Honorary).

While at RCDS, in 1982, he was the only Asian student to give a presentation to the Queen Elizabeth II and the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, presenting regarding “Pakistan’s Importance for NATO” and the need for Pakistan to rejoin the British Commonwealth".

He was schooled at the Burn Hall, Abbottabad, the Central Model School and the Government College in Lahore. He graduated with a B.Sc. Karachi University in 1976, an M.Sc. in War Studies from the Quaid-e-Azam University in 1978, and a Ph.D. in International Relations from the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) London in 1983.

During the 1971 war, Farooq was serving as a Squadron Leader in the PAF's No. 5 Squadron "eagles" flying Dassault Mirage-3EP strike fighters. He participated in the Operation Chengiz Khan. On 5 December 1971, Farooq shot down two IAF Hawker Hunters over Lyallpur, Punjab.

Air Vice Marshal Farooq Umar is a veteran Pakistani fighter pilot who is known for twice breaking the sound barrier over the Amritsar Air Force Station in his Lockheed F-104 during the 1965 War.

During rise in hostilities with India over the Indian administered Kashmir, Farooq's Squadron was deployed at PAF Base Sargodha from where they flew various air defence and combat sorties. On 1 September 1965, the PAF's Commander in Chief, "Nur Khan" ordered then Flight Lieutenant Farooq Umer to perform a low level sonic boom over the IAF airbase at Amritsar. Farooq did as he was told and took off in his Mach 2 capable Lockheed F-104A Starfighter. As he crossed the international border, he went supersonic and performed a sonic boom over the Indian Air Force's Amritsar Air Force Station. Farooq then reached out to Nur Khan over the radio and informed him about the mission's status to which Nur Khan ordered him to perform another sonic boom over the same Base. Farooq did as he was told but this time the Indians started firing their Anti-Aircraft guns, though the high speeds kept his aircraft safe and he successfully performed the second sonic boom, Farooq was ordered to return to base. Upon reaching back at Sargodha, Farooq learnt that his sonic booms had caught the Indians completely off guard to such extent that the All India radio was reported to have narrated about the Amritsar Air Base being attacked and rocketed/bombed by 8 Pakistani F-86 Sabres.

Farooq joined the Pakistan Air Force in 1958 and graduated as a fighter pilot from the Risalpur Academy in 1960, winning Triple honours i.e., the Sword of Honour, the Best Pilot's Trophy and the Academics Trophy. He subsequently won the Jet Conversion Trophy in 1961 and the “Top Gun” award as well as the Roll of Honour from the Fighter leader School in 1971. In 1962, he was posted to the PAF's elite No. 9 Squadron "Griffins" flying the F-104 Starfighters.

Farooq was born at Lyallpur, Punjab, in British India in 1941. His father Mian Muhammad Nurullah was the first finance minister of Punjab in the 1947/48 Mandate cabinet.

During the Rann of Kutch conflict, Farooq flew various sorties and also participated in the Battle of Biar Bet during which he assisted the 24th Cavalry's fight against Indian forces.