7th September —
the triumph of courage

Wing Commander Mozammil Haq remembers the bravery of PAF personnel on this crucial day during the Indo-Pak War of Sept 1965.

Louis Karr, a famous war analyst writes, “Who can defeat a nation that knows to play hide-and-seek with death? I asked the Pakistani Commander how is that despite small number you are overpowering the Indians? He looked at me, and said, “if courage, bravery and patriotism were purchasable commodities, then the Indians could have got them along with the American aid”.
Although hostilities between India and Pakistan started much before 7th September, 1965, Pakistani military planners had not envisaged the full-fledged war. The 6th of September, 1965 dawned like other mornings. Yet, as the golden rays of the rising sun streaked across the horizon, the rumbling noise of tanks, the boom of guns and the deafening explosions of bombs and shells shattered nature’s calm and tranquillity. It was a morning destined to be the most crucial in the history of Pakistan after 14th August, 1947.
India had attacked Pakistan without a formal declaration of war. The capture of Lahore airport was announced in Lok Sabha, the next day. BBC declared that the fall of Lahore was imminent. However, unfortunately, the Indians grossly underestimated the spirit and courage of the Pakistani nation. Their cherished dream of celebrating their victory in the Lahore Gymkhana was deemed forever.
The PAF did not take long to join the battle along with the Pak Army. It opened its account by launching multi-directional offensive in the evening on the very 6th of September. The aging faithful F-86 Sabres took off for Pathankot, Adampur and Halwara, destroying a good number of aircraft on ground and inflicting significant damages to the installations. The next day morning, Sargodha was wide-awake and a sense of expectation prevailed all over the Base. Everything was set in and call was required for action. Suddenly a rocket swished past a group and exploded a few yard away. Then another rocket. The IAF had accepted the challenge and the PAF was ready to deliver its punch.
Six Mysteres jet fighters of the enemy air force had come flying low, firing their rockets and guns haphazardly. The PAF Star fighter, F-104, with Flt Lt Amjad Hussain in the cockpit, gave a warm reception. A cannon fired from the star fighter was enough to explode two Mysteres in the air. The other two fell prey to Ack Ack guns deployed around Sargodha airfield. The remaining two barely managed to escape.
No sooner did the all-clear siren blare than the raid warning came again. This time, there were six Hunters: To greet them leapt into the sky two shippers of F-86’s under the command of legendary Squadron Leader M M Alam and his No 2 Flying Officer Masood Akhtar.
The two F-86s chased the Hunters like furious leopards. Within a span of just 30 seconds Alam shot down five Hunters, one after the other, a world record yet to be beaten in the recorded history of jet aerial warfare. Within half an hour, the Indian Air Force had lost nine jet fighters, four Mysteres and five Hunters. On this historic day, one of the ground crew wrote in his diary: On the day when Sqn Ldr M M Alam shot down five aircraft I saw him taxiing in and through a hand signal asked how many kills he had got. He replied with his hand raised out of the canopy meeting the figure of with his five fingers. I conveyed the news to the ground crew and we all rushed to receive him. After the engine was switched off we took him out of the cockpit and then lifted him upon our shoulders. We were raising slogans of “Allah-O-Akbar” ‘Pakistan Zindabad! ‘Alam Zindabad! The man had created history.
Sqn Ldr (Later Air Cdre) M M Alam became the most admirable person of the 1965 war. By knocking out nine enemy aircraft and damaging additional two, he broke the enemy’s back and was greatly instrumental in achieving air superiority for the PAF.
The Indians must have had their worst frustration to see only three aircraft (out of 12) returning safe after strike-mission. The IAF, since became extremely jittery. In the afternoon, four enemy Mysteres dared to appear on the scene but they were quick to abandon their mission as soon as they saw F-86 approaching towards them. The sun was shedding its last rays over the Base when two Mysteres came in for attack. At that very moment, Flt Lt Malik was inspecting his aircraft. Bullets rained past him. An airman, Corporal Sher Bahadur, ran towards him, pulled him aside and lay down on him, thus shielding him with his body from the raining bullets. He told the pilot. We cannot let you die, if the bullet hits, it will kill me, but you will be safe for doing the job. Your life is much more precious than mine.
Such was the peak of the courage and enthusiasm that marked the spirit of brave PAF personnel for the defence of homeland. The commendable performance put up by the entire PAF won the appreciation and respect of the nation. The PAF had written in the skies a sage of supreme courage, which is a source of abiding inspiration for all of us.

REFERENCES
* History of the PAF
* Story of the PAF
* Indo-Pak War-An ISPR Publication
* SHAHEEN-March, 1984
* Defence Supplement-THE MUSLIM