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From 14 May to 12 July 1954 RPAF Station Samungli was commanded by Major Sikandar Khan of Pak Army. On 13 July 1954 it was taken over by Squadron Leader K M Akbar. Soon thereafter, a G C Wing was established at the base and Major Sikandar Khan became OC G C Wing.
On I June 57 the annual Shaheen Air Training Corps camp was officially inaugurated at RPAF Samungli. Squadron Leader J Z Mikulski was appointed OC and was assisted by Flying Officer A Hanif, and Sergeants Sabir, Zahoor and Hussain. During June 1957, the SATC wings from Dacca, Sargodha, Drigh Road and Chaklala participated in the camp. They were followed in July by the wings from Lahore and Peshawar.
On 19 October 70, the Care and Maintenance (C&M) Party Samungli was redesignated as PAF Base, Samungli with a proposed location of 2 squadrons by 1974. Between 1970 and 1978 fighter squadrons from Masroor, Sargodha and Peshawar spent several weeks of summer months each year at Samungli.Summer camps for college students were also held annually at the base to make the youth air minded. Until the first fighter squadron became permanently based at Samungli, a fire power and close air support demonstration used to be held every summer for the students of the Quetta Staff College, by squadrons assigned from different air bases of the country. The biggest of these demonstrations was held in September 76 when the participants comprised Nos 5, 7, 11, 15 and 18 Squadrons. The practice continues but most of the air effort is now generated from Samungli itself. PAF Base Samungli remained a satellite base till 31 March 78; thereafter, No 23 Squadron moved there on permanent deployment. In due course, it also became the home base of No 17 Squadron and No 31 Wing was formed in May 83 with the two squadrons. The development of air defence units at the base started in 1981 when HQ No 4 Sector and its component units moved into the area as a consequence of the Afghan war.
Before 1981 the officers' mess of the base was housed in a small hut-type building. Similarly, the SNCO's and airmen's mess were located in old WW II barracks. New messes as well as domestic accommodation and a 20-bed hospital were completed by the end of 1981.
An unusual event occurred on 26 May 81 when an Mi-8 gunship helicopter of the Afghan Air Force was hijacked from Quandhar to Samungli by Captain Jamal-ud-Din of the AAF, with flight engineer Lieutenant Faisal Khan and the pilot's brother Kamal-ud-Din.
After 23 Squadron was assigned its new air superiority role its colour presentation was held at the base on 15 May 82. Lieutenant General Rahim-ud-Din Khan, Governor of Baluchistan, reviewed the parade and presented the colour. |
