WARS & ENCOUNTERS COLLECTION

Weaving low along the bed of Degh Naala to avoid detection, Captain (later Major General) Hidayatullah Khan Niazi, SJ, sneaks into the Indian territory on a dawn reconnaissance sortie. As he pulls up briefly near Samba in his L-19, he is rewarded by the sight of a large concentration of an Indian infantry division in the enemy’s rear area. This was India’s 14 Infantry Division, preparing to support 1 Armoured Division that was, since 7/8 September, spearheading India’s main offensive into Pakistani territory in the Chawinda-Sialkot sector. On receiving this valuable intelligence, four F-86s of 18 Squadron from Sargodha, led by Squadron Leader AIauddin “Butch” Ahmed, soon arrived overhead – the early morning scene depicted in the painting’s background. In the devastating napalm attack delivered by Ahmed’s formation, the infantry division was completely paralysed for some time, significantly desynchronizing 1 Armoured Division’s offensive. After refuelling and rearming, “Butch” returned to the combat zone at 1030 hours. This time, in an equally spectacular attack, his four Sabres destroyed an ammunition train at Gurdaspur, further starving the crucial logistics of the same Indian offensive. The lion-hearted CO of 18 Squadron never returned from this mission, even though he ejected successfully from his F-86 over hostile territory after flying through the debris of the exploding train under him. He was posthumously awarded the SJ.

After India’s knee-jerk accusation of Pakistan being responsible for the Pulwama suicide bombing (14 February 2019) by a bitterly desperate, born-and-bred local Kashmiri youth, New Delhi had doggedly refused to share any credible evidence in support of the false allegation. Rejecting Pakistan’s offer of immediate cooperation in the Pulwama investigation, the BJP rulers chose the warpath instead, to exploit the tragedy to bolster their votes in the approaching April-May elections. Clinging to their easily refutable propaganda about Pakistan, they recklessly gambled the security of all Indians by risking a general war with Pakistan. On 26 February, India’s government ordered its air force to bomb a Pakistani seminary in Balakot (K-P) that would have murdered 200 children (8-15 years), had it not been for the incompetence of the IAF pilots, which caused the bombs to hit no targets and to inflict no casualties or damage. India then claimed it had killed 300 Pakistani militants at Balakot, much to its subsequent embarrassment for that lie. But India largely escaped strong condemnation for its violations of international laws by offering to the world’s powerful trading nations India’s attractive consumer markets and lucrative Indian defence contracts. Many senior Indian politicians and retired military leaders condemned PM Narendra Modi’s crass use of military power for winning elections. On 26 February, the Pakistani nation and its armed forces were more than ready for any eventuality. Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan ordered that his country’s first response to the Balakot violation was to be delivered by "Operation Swift Retort" of the Pakistan Air Force. After talking with all the pilots who flew this mission, artist Hussaini has visualised here the PAF’s retaliation at the doorstep of Indian Army’s deployed brigade in the Poonch-Rajauri-Naushera sector. The two time-separated panels of the painting (bomb-release in the upper view, bomb impact explosions in the lower scene) show Wing Commander Adnan as he releases his 1,000-Lb guided bombs, one of which has already extended its wings and the other is about to do so. At the same time, his wingman, Squadron Leader Sibtain (tiny image, visible at a distance on the leader’s left, in the upper panel), is doing the same. The lower panel shows the scene about 60 seconds later, and some 40 miles from the two Thunders. In the foreground are the two explosions by Adnan’s bombs, carrying the intended message: “You were lucky your attack failed at Balakot. Think deeply before impulsively rushing up the escalation ladder the next time”. The painting also shows the expanding arc of a momentary shockwave caused by one of the bombs. Viewers may also note - at the right edge of the lower panel - Sibtain’s simultaneously exploding bombs that he delivered with the same accuracy as his leader, and precisely matching the time on target (TOT) given to his leader.

According to the conflict environment visualised in the PAF’s war plan, the pilots of No. 19 Squadron found themselves charged more heavily with counter air campaigns and air support missions. Intensively trained and motivated by their squadron commander, all of them flew their Sabres in those two roles with outstanding professionalism. By doing so they greatly restricted the day-time presence of the IAF in Kashmir and, along with other combat squadrons based closer to the land battles, decisively defeated India’s land attacks against Pakistan Army’s critical operations from Kasur to Kashmir. Before the war ended, Squadron Leader Sajjad Haider would lead five counter air strikes against IAF Station, Srinagar. This painting by Hussaini depicts No. 19 Squadron’s first strike on Srinagar airfield on the second day of war, following the unit’s textbook elimination of the IAF’s Mig-21s at Pathankot on the previous day. Charged up to repeat something like their success at Pathankot, No. 19 Squadron pilots were disappointed to find only three transport planes at Srinagar – two Douglas DC-3 Dakotas and a De Havilland Caribou. As different formation members smoothly brought their machine guns to bear on the three targets they came under enemy heavy ack ack fire. Squadron Leader Haider (foreground, in F-86 Serial No. 201) chose one of the Dakotas for attack and it began to burn immediately. Haider’s gun camera film would later show technicians and others near the Dakota running for cover. Flight Lieutenant Arshad Sami - his No. 3, shown in the upper right comer - assumed the Caribou to be an enemy aircraft (the type had been on the IAF inventory since 1963) but the PAF found later that the destroyed Caribou belonged to the U.N. and was assigned to Australian General Robert Nimmo, Head of the UNMOGIP, the U.N.’s Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan. To the great amusement of No. 19 Squadron, Radio Srinagar claimed the same evening that the Pakistani Squadron Commander had been shot down and taken prisoner. In fact, all four Sabres had returned to Peshawar without a scratch. Squadron Leader Sajjad Haider — Leader, Flight Lieutenant Khalid Latif — Number 2, Flight Lieutenant Arshad Sami — Number 3, Flight Lieutenant Akhtar Rao — Number 4

Flight Lieutenant Salim Beg Mirza of No.26 Squadron destroys an IAF Hunter (flown by Flight Lieutenant KP Muralidharan from No.20 Squadron deployed at Jammu) near Pimple Hill, west of the Peshawar runway. The Indian pilot did not survive.

A flight of F-6s (Chinese built Mig-19s) from No.11 Squadron was on a search and destroy mission over the Shakargarh salient when Flight Lieutenant Aamer Ali Sharie f spotted four manoeuvring Mig-21s, much superior in performance to Aamer’s F-6. Quickly sliding into the blind zone of the trailing Mig-21, Aamer launched his Sidewinder. The Mig-21 burst into flames and crashed.

Mirages from 5 Squadron Sargodha strike IAF Base Pathankot. Apart from the damage inflicted in the technical area by the bombing runs of the formation, the leader Squadron Leader Akhtar Rao (seen in the foreground pulling away after firing his guns) also destroyed two Hunters lining up for take-off.

The painting shows the Squadron Commander of No.7 Squadron pulling out of his fourth bomb run over lAF Station, Adampur. The other three B-57s of his formation would follow him to the target at fifteen-minute intervals, easily finding it, lit up as it was by Squadron Leader Najeeb's four attacks. Unimpressed with the night time accuracy of the lAF's ack-ack guns, the squadron had decided that each B-57 would make four bombing runs, dropping 2 x 1,OOO-pound bombs in each attack. For their targets, they chose aircraft hangars, fuel storage, maintenance complexes and technical buildings. This was later assessed to be one of the most successful missions of the war. Bomber Leader: Squadron Leader Najeeb A. Khan, Navigator: Flight Lieutenant William D. Harney

The painting shows the two-seat B-57C bomber trainer (No.846) of No.7 Squadron on a daylight raid against the Indian Army units massing up along the Khokrapar-Chor railway line leading into Hyderabad. Affectionately nicknamed "Baba", the B-57 followed its bombing attacks by several strafing runs on the freight wagons lined up below. "Baba" and its two F-86 escorts from No.19 Squadron (top left) stayed over the target for over 30 minutes. A series of such missions from Masroor Air Force Base forced the enemy to abandon its planned offensive. B-57 Aircrew Pilot : Flight Lieutenant Shabbir A Khan, Navigator : Squadron Leader Shoaib Alam Khan. F-86 Escorts : Leader : Flight Lieutenant Mushtaq A Laghari, No.2 : Flight Lieutenant Khalid Mehmood

A full moon and the fireballs from exploding bombs light up the temporarily transformed “B-130” of No. 6 Squadron over the IAF’s Jaisalmer air base. The mission is a part of Pakistan’s retaliation from the west against the lawless and premeditated 1971 war India has forced in East Pakistan. The converted L-382B, a civil transport version of the PAF’s C-130 fleet, has been borrowed from the PIA to augment the C-130 force. Both types of the Hercules perform magnificently from both wings – in unimaginable difficult and unconventional cargo and combat roles. This very day in New York, a huge majority (104:10) of condemning member countries would vote at the United Nations to demand Indian Army’s withdrawal from East Pakistan. The bomber in the painting has taken of from Mianwali FOB a few hours earlier while that air base was under attack by Canberra bombers of the IAF. Flight Lieutenant Mir Alam, the young mission commander, is spiritedly supported by his crew when he decides to taxi quickly to do a scramble take of, as bombs begin to explode over the base. The decision is both spontaneous and correct. Night flying into the target area at low level, the pilots and their skilful navigator are now over Jaisalmer, surrounded by the enemy firing its AAA and SAMs at them but they keep the plane in a steady bomb drop attitude, which would ensure their 20,000-pound bomb load will cause the most effective pattern of destruction. Their steady flight path also allows the two load masters to have a ring-side view (through the open rear door) of all bomb impacts on Jaisalmer’s dispersals. Fires engulf the targeted air base and the IAF is unable to put those out for two days. For their plucky performance, all aircrew of this mission are recognized by the senior commanders for their skill and dedication – and the captain, co-pilot and navigator receive the Sitara-e-Jur’at. Flight Lieutenant Mir Alam – Captain, Flying Officer Rifat Jamil – Co-Pilot, Flight Lieutenant Wajid Saleem – Navigator, Flight Sergeant ---- Rashid – Flight Engineer, Flight Sergeant ---- Majeed – Load Master and Flight Sergeant - Amir – Load Master

During the last stages of the Afghan War, Flight Lieutenant Khalid Mahmood of No.14 Squadron destroys an SU-22 over the Thal area near the border. The pilot of the SU-22 ejected and was taken prisoner. The air defence controller for this interception was Squadron Leader Saif-ur-Rehman.

During the last stages of the Afghan War, Flight Lieutenant Khalid Mahmood of No.14 Squadron destroys an SU-22 over the Thal area near the border. The pilot of the SU-22 ejected and was taken prisoner. The air defence controller for this interception was Squadron Leader Saif-ur-Rehman.