Air Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan has reiterated Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) commitment towards protecting the mother land as the country marks Air Force Day today on Monday 7th September.
Speaking at a wreath laying ceremony for PAF’s martyrs on Air Force Day in Islamabad, Air Chief reassured the nation of PAF’s commitment and undeterred resolve in protecting the country’s border and territorial integrity.
He reiterated that PAF is fully capable of addressing any security threat faced by Pakistan.
Air Marshal Mujahid Anwar also paid homage to PAF’s martyrs who had laid down their lives for the defence of the motherland.
In Karachi, Air Vice-Marshal Ghulam Abbas Ghumman, Air Officer Commanding, Southern Air Command, offered prayers and laid a wreath on the grave of Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed (Nishan-i-Haider).
Meanwhile in an award ceremony was held in the federal capital, where PAF Wind Commander Hassan Siddiqui was conferred upon Tamgha-i-Jur’at by President Arif Alvi for shooting down enemy plane on 27th February 2019.
It is pertinent to know that PAF played a key role in the 1965 Ind-Pak War by overcoming a numerical superior enemy that outnumbered PAF by a ratio of at least 1:3.
During the war, PAF proved to be the most potent and crucial force of all the three services as it attained an overwhelming air superiority over their counterpart the Indian Air Force (IAF) during the war and successfully neutralized the aerial threat from the enemy.
PAF’s fleet at that time comprised of Western made fighter planes including 12 F-104 Starfighters, some 120 F-86 Sabres and around 20 B-57 Canberra bombers which proved to be quite superior to the IAF’s inventory which consisted of aircrafts such as Hawker Hunter and Folland Gnat.
Though IAF had significant numerical superiority it failed to make any significant mark during the war and was essentially suppressed, outgunned and outclassed by PAF.
PAF claims to have lost only 19 aircrafts while destroying more than 100 enemy aircrafts – a claim refuted by India and IAF. However, neutral sources also suggest an absolute air dominance by PAF stating that it lost 20 aircrafts and destroyed 60-75 Indian aircrafts.
