Air Marshal (Retd) Najeeb Akhtar Raja has been appointed as Member Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority Board on 1st January, 2014. he was also appointed as the Ambassador of Pakistan to Brazil.
He belongs to Dhanyal Tribe, hailing from Karore Valley (Kiyah), in tehsil Kotli Sattian.
He joined Pakistan Air Force in the flying branch in 1964 and was commissioned in 1966 as a pilot. He flew all major combat aircrafts (F-86, F-6, Mirage and F-16) over a flying career of over 34 years.
He participated in the 1971 Indo-Pak war as a Mirage Pilot from Sargodha. During his flying career he held the appointments of a fighter Squadron Commander, Command of a Fighter Base, Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operation, Air officer Commanding of Central air command and Air officer Commanding of Air Defence Command during Kargil operation. He was retired in the rank of Air Marshal in 2000 after 34 years of service. He conceived and oversaw the setting up of a major defence production facility at the Air Weapon Complex.
He was decorated with Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military), Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military), Sitara-e-Basalat and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military) for meritorious contribution to the Pakistan Air Force. He was deputed abroad as a flying instructor to Libya for 2 years. He participated in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war from a forward air base in Egypt as a operation advisor and coordinator. He was deputed a second time to Saudi Air force as an operations and plans advisor for 3 years from 1985-88. He was appointed as the ambassador to Brazil, after his retirement from the service.
