PAF Base Mushaf

Pakistan Air Force Base Mushaf or more simply PAF Base Mushaf (formerly PAF Station Sargodha and PAF Base Sargodha), IATA: MSF, ICAO: OPMH) is a Pakistan Air Force airbase situated at Sargodha in Punjab, Pakistan. It is designated as a "Major Operational Base" (MOB) by the PAF.^[4]

PAF Base Mushaf
پی اے ایف بیس مصحف
Sargodha District, Punjab in Pakistan
Flight line of Mushaf airbase in 2024
Site information
Type	Air Force base
Owner	Ministry of Defense
Operator	Pakistan Air Force
Controlled by	Central Air Command
Condition	Operational
Other site facilities	Combat Commanders' School
Website	Pakistan Air Force
Location
PAF Base Mushaf Shown within Punjab, Pakistan Show map of Punjab, Pakistan PAF Base Mushaf PAF Base Mushaf (Pakistan) Show map of Pakistan
Coordinates	32°02′55″N 72°39′55″E
Site history
Built	1942 (1942)
Built for	British India Pakistan Air Force
Built by	British Raj (foundation)
In use	1942 - present
Battles/wars	1965 Indo-Pakistani war 1971 Indo-Pakistani war Operation Sentinel Operation Swift Retort 2025 India–Pakistan conflict
Garrison information
Current commander	Air Commodore Hassan khalid
Garrison	38 MR Wing Airpower Center of Excellence
Occupants	9 Squadron Griffins 7 Squadron Bandits 24 Squadron Blinders 29 Squadron Aggressor CCS JF-17 Dashings CCS Mirage Skybolts 82 CS Squadron Stallions CCS f16
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: MSF, ICAO: OPMH
Elevation	187 metres (614 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 14/32 3,120 metres (10,236 ft) Asphalt 06/24 2,430 metres (7,972 ft) Asphalt
Reference(s):[1][2][3]

It was known as PAF Base Sargodha until 2003, when it was renamed in honour of the former Base Commander and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir, whose aircraft crashed on a routine flight near Kohat in February 2003.^[5][6]

The PAF's Central Air Command (CAC), the Combat Commanders' School (CCS), and the PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence (PAF ACE) are based at PAF Base Mushaf. It is the most elite and widely operational base in Pakistan, consisting of the highest equipped aircraft and squadrons and the best trained pilots and commanders.

History

1930s: Inception

PAF Base Mushaf was originally established as an airstrip by the Royal Air Force during the 1930s. After World War II, the airstrip was one of the Sargodha Satellite Fields, and was known as Sargodha (Main). In 1959, the airstrip was commissioned as PAF Base Sargodha.^[7]

1965: Indian air strike under mission Sky Force

Main article: 1965 Indian air raids at Sargodha Air Base

As precursor to Indo-Pakistani war of 1965, on 28 August, 1965, the Indian Air Force began "Operation Riddle" in response to Pakistan's Operation Grand Slam. On 6 September, 1965, the operation shifted to targeting two cities in Punjab, which were Lahore and Kasur, sparking the needs for an airfield complex. From 1965, elements of the PAF’s 17, 18, and 19 Squadrons were based in the airfield complex, which also housed the central command. This was considered one of the PAF’s most heavily guarded location, being dense in assets of the air force. The complex was located on a strategic location, allowing Pakistan to conduct air offensives in the Punjab region. During peak operations, the complex housed up to 80 F-86 Sabres, and 5 Lockheed F-104 Starfighters.^[8][9]

Indian Air Force conducted the air raids on 6th and 7th September 1965.^[10] Ajjamada B. Devaiah, as a senior flying instructor, was part of an aircraft strike mission which went to Sargodha airfield in Pakistan. Despite being a standby in case one of the first 12 aircraft dropped out, he joined the air battle. Devayya was intercepted by a PAF F-104 Starfighter flown by Pakistani pilot Flt. Lt. Amjad Hussain. Devayya successfully evaded the Starfighter's attacks. But the faster aircraft caught up with him and damaged his plane. Yet Devayya attacked the Starfighter and hit it. The Starfighter went down, while Hussain ejected and parachuted. It is not known what happened to Devayya. The IAF Mysteres were short on fuel and efficiency. Devayya's Mystere was destroyed, and it is assumed that he died on Pakistani soil.^[11][12] He was awarded the posthumous Maha Vir Chakra in 1988, nearly 23 years after the war.^[13]

In response, from 1965 to 1971, many disused airstrips were rehabilitated to be fitted with dummy aircraft, and were occasionally operating North American F-86 Sabres. Blast pens and dispersal sites were also built.^[14]

1979: base for Mirage fighter jets

During 1979, the base was home to 5 Squadron with the Dassault Mirage IIIEP, another squadron with the Mirage IIIDP, another squadron with the Mirage IIIRP and 9 Squadron with the Dassault Mirage 5PA^[15]

2007: Suicide bombing by Islamist Jihadis

On 1 November 2007, a suicide bomber struck the 50-seat bus carrying PAF officers to nearby Kirana Ammunition Depot, killing 11 people (including 7 officers) and injuring 28. The bombing took place on Faisalabad Road, where a motorcycle loaded with explosives rammed the bus and triggered the blast. All the officers were new recruits posted to PAFB Mushaf for training.^[16] Attack was likely done by the elements of Pakistani Taliban and Al-Qaeda.^[17]

This was the last major attack before the 2007 state of emergency was imposed on the country.

2025: Indian air and missile strikes

Main article: 2025 India–Pakistan conflict

PAF Base Mushaf was struck by Indian retaliatory air and missile strikes as a part of Operation Sindoor during the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict on 10 May 2025. Indian military claimed to have used precision weapons to strike two sections of the runway. Later satellite imagery showed a crater on the runway.^[18][19][20]

In popular media

• Sky Force (film), 2025 movie featuring Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Sara Ali Khan and Nimrat Kaur is based on Indian air raids on Sargodha airfield.^[21][22][23]

See also

• List of Pakistan Air Force bases
• Sargodha Airfield Complex
• Sky Force (film), a 2025 Indian film about an attack on the base during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965