Comments on: Saga of PAF in East Pakistan – 1971

By: Jabbar

Jabbar — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:07:22 +0000

Isn’t it time for us (Pakistani’s) to submit an unconditional apology to BD and stranded EPs and take them back.

By: Salahuddin

Salahuddin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 02:42:10 +0000

Inam bhai – and, of course, Air Marshal sahib, I stumbled on this article on Imran’s site just this evening and read it and the several comments in their entirety. I am fascinated by the first hand accounts coming from you about a time which vividly recall as I was in University of Southampton in England at the time and recall fairly testy interactions with “fellow” Indian students. I must say, how self-evident it was to us living in England and looking on from afar, that Z.A. Bhutto’s behavior caused the dismemberment of Pakistan.

In case it isn’t clear, I’m the Salahuddin who’s married to Rani (Rehana) your cousin.

Also rumor has it that you may even have a copy of my book Sikander, if you do, please do let me know what you make of the story.

By: aamir shah

aamir shah — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:09:23 +0000

Air Marshal Sahib,
With lot of and respect and reverence very very proud of the example you set for generations to come. I was a school boy while the tragedy of BD unfolded, watched my uncles and cousins Killed and captured in the War. During my visit to Dacca in 1997 I heard my Begali friends tell me, “We did not want this to happen and not this way”. I hung my head in shame and apologized for the sins of our elders.

By: Jagan

Jagan — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:01:29 +0000

My apologies for getting the rank wrong in the post above.. it should be Air marshal and not air commodore

By: Jagan

Jagan — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:00:25 +0000

This is a fantastic page and a wonderful resource for my research. my thanks to all those who participated in this discussion and special thanks to Air Cdre Inam for the initial article and for answering many of the queries posted on this page.

By: Jagan

Jagan — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:56:01 +0000

The Runway was repaired by an Indian Army Engineering Team, along with Pakistani Army Engineering equipment and a whole lot of local labour. obviously it was easier for them to do as the war was over, there was local support and no continuous air raids on the runway every day.

By: inam h khan

inam h khan — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:43:03 +0000

AARB Haseeb. Thanks for your kind remarks. You did not mention name of your father,I may be knowing him.Anyway convey him my regards. Had I been in his shoes I would have most likely behaved the same way. I knew and admired many Bengali officers, my course mate was Flt Lt Bhuiyan who in 1951 circa unfortunately got disorientated flying in clouds from Drigh Road to Peshawer in a formation of four led by Sqn Cdr Sqn Ldr A Rahim Khan, later CinC PAF. But my favourite was my ex Flight Commander in 16th Squadron, late AVM M G Tawab tiger of a man and a pilot. Only fault, for which there might be an unknown reason, he ditched his Mymensingh wife for Hannah a German Lady. Allah knows best.

Apart from other documented mistakes for creation of BD, our leaders failed to to appreciate the importance of intrinsic nationalism, importance of culture, language, traditions, customs etc, and relied on religion Islam alone for integrity of State, which has, apart from Faraiz, has many differences in different countries and is not monolithic in practice during daily life.

Anyway my best wishes now are for BD to prosper in every way, just as their cricket team is improving every day in every way. Regards. Inam

By: Haseeb Alam

Haseeb Alam — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:25:51 +0000

Dear Air Marshal Sahib,

Asalaam Aleikum Sir. It was extreamly interesting to know about what was happening in and around East Pakistan, from a PAF Top Brass officer’s point of view.

Sir, This may come to you as a shock, I was actaully not even born in 71, and my father was one of the 1st serving Bengali PAF Pilots who escaped from West Pakistan and took part in forming the Mukti Bahini Airforce. He was flying the Otter for the Mukti Bahini Airforce at that time.

Apart from the War, I have heard my father cherish his days in West Pakistan PAF and how wonderful his days were there.

Just wanted to say, thank you for sharing this story…I can relate your political observations and I somewhat agree to the mistakes made at that point of time.

Wishing you the very best…

Haseeb

By: Asad Sagheer

Asad Sagheer — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:23:57 +0000

Asalaam Aleikum, Air Marshal Sahib,

Thank you for posting this article, it is very insightful and I hope brings some long sought recognition to the PAF EP contingent. Although I was only 5 years old at the time, and aside from a few glimpses of memory, do not recall much; our family was in the cantonment as my father, (late) Maj. Khalid Sagheer, was serving with 4th Sqdn, flying Alouette’s with Army Aviation. We were lucky enough to have gotten out on the last PIA casualty evac. towards the end of Nov. ’71.

My father did tell me that there were a couple of times that PAF F86’s saved him and Maj. Tierney (flying Mi-8) while on sorties to drop off commando’s on some bridge; had it not been for the F-86’s diving on the hidden heavy cal. guns, the unarmed helicopters would not have survived the sorties.

If you’ll recall, on the morning of the surrender after the AVN contingent escaped to Burma, there was 1 Alouette that wouldn’t start, and a 2nd Alouette held back for Gen. Niazi’s use (pilot was late Maj. Tauhid-ul Haq as he was a bachelor); after successful repairs were carried out, my father later piloted that aircraft out of EP in broad daylight just before the surrender ceremony, and Maj. Tauhid piloted the 2nd helicopter safely as well to Burma.

My father told me you must have known the incoming Indian helicopters were Alouettes, otherwise their escape and ability to have been “lost” amongst the Indian aircraft would not have been possible?

Also, I was wondering what your opinion is of the Army Aviation’s 4th Sqdn’s efforts during this time and how closely PAF and Army Aviation coordinated during this time.

Sincerely, Asad

By: AM (R) Inam H. Khan

AM (R) Inam H. Khan — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:35:47 +0000

Yes indeed landing strip for emergency use can be made of PSP (Perforated Steel Plates) if level hard surface could b prepared, PSP sheets are in good condition without any nicks and dents and there is uninterrupted time available to lay them. At Dacca runway was pitted with craters having volcano shaped lips protruding upwards. Thus requiring first craters to be filled with sand and then cutting lips and leveling the ground. PSP available was of WW 2 left over vintage. On top of it there was not long enough time gap between raids for the job even if we had all the other requisites

Only one RAF C-130 specially equipped for STOL (short take of landing) operations, that is fitted with bank of short firing rockets on both the wings, etc, did land and take off in about 1,500 feet of clear patch of runway between craters (needed no taxi track as would have been required for our fighter to and fro strip from dispersed pens). C-130 being light without load landed with full brakes and reverse thrust. Take off after loading was a sort of catapult employing RATO (Rocket Assisted Take Off). Bank on each wing had I think 6 to 8 rocket tubes firing a short burst providing enough thrust to get aircraft airborne.