Azim Daudpota


Mohammed Azim Daudpota, commonly known as Azim Daudpota, was the first Sindhi pilot in Pakistan Airforce and the 1st Sindhi to receive the Sitara e Jurrat, was a three-star officer in the Pakistan Air Force who went on to serve as the Chief of Air Staff of Air Force of Zimbabwe, and then to briefly serve as Governor of Sindh. At the time of his death Daudpota was the chairman of the board at Macpac Films Limited, a Pakistani company which manufactures BOPP films and claimed to be the pioneer of the BOPP film industry in Pakistan.

Air force career

Daudpota joined the Royal Pakistan Air Force in 1952 and as a general duties pilot. The following year he commenced a course of training at Royal Australian Air Force Academy from where he graduated in 1955. After service as a pilot and then as Squadron Commander of numbers 15 and 17; he attended the PAF Staff College before serving on the staff of the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi. After a further period of training at the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, Daudpota commanded PAF Bases Rafiqui and Sargodha.

Chief of Zimbabwe Air Force

In 1983 the Zimbabweans sought assistance from Pakistan as they wanted to replace the former Rhodesian officer who then headed the Air Force of Zimbabwe. Daudpota was selected and served as Commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe from July 1983 to January 1986.

Civilian work

On his return to Pakistan, Daudpota became the Managing Director and Chairman Of Pakistan International Airlines from January 1986 to April 1990.
He became the Chairman of Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation. He joined Kashmir Corporation as an Executive Director in April 1990; from 25 October 1999 to 24 May 2000, Daudpota became the Governor of Sindh. He was also the chairman of the board at Macpac Films Limited.