Pakistan. Air Force - Flight of the Falcon

Copyright: 2010 by Vanguard Books Pvt Ltd and S Sajad Haider
All rights reserved

This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illustrations and pictures, in any form without written permission from the author and publisher

Revised Third Edition ISBN:

Vanguard Books (Pvt) Ltd72-FCC Gulberg-4, Lahore, Pakistan Ph: # 92-42-5875622 Fax: # 92-42-5751025 email: info@vanguardbooks.com

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Copyright: 2010 by Vanguard Books Pvt Ltd.,
All rights reserved

This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illustrations and pictures, in any form without written permission from the publishers &author.

Revised Third Edition ISBN : 978-969-402-526-1

Vanguard Books (Pvt) Ltd.
72-FCC Gulberg-4, Lahore, Pakistan Ph: # 92-42-35875622 Fax: # 92-42-35751025 email: info@vanguardbooks.com

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To my parents who taught us the meaning of integrity, honour and courage, silently through their indomitable personal example.And

To my gallant comrades who were martyred defending this nation, laughing in the face of death; and to those who fought with courage and survived; neither knew that their sacrifices were in senseless wars perpetrated by helmsmen withdefeated minds.

PrefaceixAbbreviationsxiiAcknowledgements xivAuthors NotexvForeword xxiProloguexxivChapter 1In the Shadow of My Father1Chapter 2 Chasing a Pilots Dream9Chapter 3 First Jet Squadron in Pakistan 23Chapter 4 Westward Ho! 38Chapter 5 Coming of Age 48Chapter 6Command of a Fighter Squadron68Chapter 7 Rann of Kutch Skirmish79Chapter 8Ayub Khan Blunders Kashmir Lost87Chapter 9PAF Blunts Indian Invasion119Chapter 10 Success Turns to Failure143viii |Flight of the FalconChapter 11 The Drift After 1965 War 187Chapter 12 The Gathering Storm216Chapter 13 War of 1971 Another Betrayal230Chapter 14 Shameful Capitulation and the Aftermath270Chapter 15 Beginning of the End 286Chapter 16 Attock Conspiracy 304Chapter 17High Command Crumbles 352Chapter 18 New Lease for the PAF 361Chapter 19 In the Shadow of Myself377Epilogue407Index 427Appendix435

When confronted by fairytales, I am compelled to tell the whole truth and not amonosyllable less. I have been prompted to say this by certain observations that weremade on my version of history which I feel need to be addressed. It would be prudent to mention that I went ahead and wrote this book despite the opinion of some of my peers that raw truth, even if it is backed by evidence and corroborated by impeccable sources,will not change opinions, let alone demolish myths or half-truths that have endured for decades. They argued that the nation has been nurtured on lies and fantasies which are as pervasive as they are toxic and hence my quest to unveil facts would have little market potential and major publishers would be reluctant to publish my work.

My resolve remained unshaken and I am glad I persevered. Flight of the Falconwas a leap of faith and a labour of love. I am humbled and honored by the interest generated in Pakistan and the feedback received from countries ranging from Australia and UK to USA (Los Angeles), all the way up to Canada. Flight of the Falcon is in fact soaring to heights far beyond myexpectations. This freshly revised version is the third edition to hit the shelves in five months. I am overwhelmed by the response, some uplifting others poignantly cynical. These include a preview by Anjum Niaz (DAWN), articles and reviews by Dr Shireen Mazari (The News), book reviews by Raza Rumi (TFT) and the author ofCrossed Swords, Shuja Nawaz (DAWN Books and Authors), articles by Afrah Jamal (The News), and interviews by Ahmed Faruqui (DAWN TV), Naeem Bokhari (HUM TV), SAMAA TV, and Sultan Hali (PTV). All this publicity has acted as a catalyst in the surging sales and is responsible for the astonishing success of this book.

The objections raised were brought to my attention by respected senior officers and one by a former colleague. One concerned the 6th of September 1965, referring to a tactical failure of the strategic pre-emptive plan which was botched that day and its bearing upon air superiority claims the next day. A candid analysis based on irrefutable empirical data had been chronicled in Chapter 10, which has again been reiterated to discard any notions that complete air superiority was achieved by the PAF by 7th September 1965. In reality, we had a good measure of air superiority over our vulnerable assets and desired air superiority over crucial battle areas in Kashmir and later over Punjab. Maximum IAF aircraft shot in the air (3 Hunters against the claim of 7) and destroyed on the ground (13 against the claim of 12) were on 6th September, not the 7thSeptember. On 7thSept the IAF launched about 60 sorties but only 33 came through. A total of four IAF fighters were destroyed and 29 went back safely. Sargodha had 75 fighter aircraft sprawled on the ground when the first IAF raid arrived. They were in ahurry and showed very poor marksmanship. The 33 IAF raids only destroyed one PAF fighter on the ground. Resultantly, the insalubrious performance by the PAF air defence command and its elements did not justify calling 7thSept the Greatest Day by our historians. The 7thSeptember performance against the Indian raid not withstanding, allthe elements of the Pakistan Air Force operational command put up a stunning performance throughout the 1965 War. My only intent in this candid, if brutal synopsis of these two Indo-Pak Wars (1965 and 1971) was to help the present generation of commanders to avoid the same pitfalls of yore. No lessons were brought out then or at any other time. The Armed Forces have always remained above reproach sans accountability owing to incompetent political leadership.

The other critique was about the treacherous planning and attempted hijack by the Bengali pilot Flt Lt Mati ur Rehman in 1971. The redoubtable Gp Capt Zaheer Hussain, President of the Air Investigation Board, who had conducted the investigation, was indignant at the way his findings had somehow become tainted. The edited version of the botched hijack attempt of 1971 on page 220 has been replaced with the one attested by Gp Capt Zaheer Hussain.

This brings me finally to the issue chronicled in the Epilogue about the people of Pakistan and the quagmire they find themselves in at the hands of the political mafia, their despotic leaders and dictators. A lot has happened in the past year, so a comment is needed to recapitulate the misery of the poor masses and the dwindling middle class.

Never has the slogan of Roti, Kapra aur Makan (Bread, Cloth and Home) jarred so much as now when women die for a sack of flour and a bowl of sugar. The great Quaid had said, If you want to make this great state (sic) of Pakistan happy and prosperous we should wholly and solely concentrate on the wellbeing of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor. His vision has been destroyed by successive governments, especially by unscrupulous politicians who under a faade of democracy, have started selling what shreds of national dignity that remained. They were facilitated by a dictator through his ignominious NRO that legitimized and legalized corruption. Now all corruption by the power elite will be above the law. Is thereany wonder that the masses silent protests are resounding in the words of Barack Obamaand the solution being offered through the stringent small print in the Kerry-Lugar bill is to keep the hyenas of the establishment from pulling Ayub Khan and Zia ul Haq type oftactics in the future.