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Preface

It gives me great pleasure, on the occasion of our golden anniversary, to write these words of appreciation for the unique artistic achievements of Group Captain S M A Hussaini. He is the Official Artist of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), an honour well earned and richly deserved. During the last two decades his work has received wide acclaim, both at home and abroad.

Huaaaini's work accurately reflects the heavy odds against which the Republic of Pakistan and its fledgling air am had to struggle in the early years. It also records, with great accuracy, how the PAF grew into maturity through several trials by fire during the first fifty years of its existerim. Many critics have commented about Hussaini's remarkable eye for detail. Anyone leafing through the pages of this book will note that attribute, but I am certain that all air enthusiasts will find it especially rewarding.

Hussaini is of course, at his best when depicting the air warrior in the heat of battle. His paintings am, in this context, art immortalising tribute to all those Pakistani Shaheens who have made the ultimate sacrifice while defending their country or returned with honour after combat - the only two precepts by which they still live and train in the PAR

I arn sum Group Captain Hussaini will continue to record, for many mom years, the exhilaration and challenge of the life and times of the PAR


27 February, 1998  - Air Chief Marshal  Parvais Mehdi Qureshi, NI(M), Chief of the Air Staff, PAF