Commemorating May 28, 1998: The Dependables of PAF

M Adnan Khan SI(M) (retd)

What would you expect when in the late hours, your Officer Commanding (OC) in uniform is at your door, asking you to accompany him for a duty flying mission. Well, it is an emergency. But then why should the OC ask you to take some clothing and leave some cash with your family behind? I could say you are going out for a long duration, but it cannot be a dangerous mission as you were not a fighter pilot. The war veteran coughed and asked for a glass of water placed opposite to him at his table. After getting normal, he continued: “Well, that’s my point, dear, generally Transport pilots are not the frontline heroes.”

We were attending the “Defence Dinner” to commemorate the sacrifices of PAF Shuhada and veterans. I found a chair on the table of PAF veterans. Their experienced wisdom and war stamina were still fresh. There I came to know, logistics support is the Center of Gravity (CG) for a nation during war or peace. Specifically, during the wars, sustainable logistics ensures success. With reference to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), this CG depends upon its Transport Command. The C-130 aircraft is not a name but a Pakistani culture, representing the PAF in our daily lives. The dependable Hercules is always there, providing food and clothing to flood affected, earthquake victims, drought hit and stranded people in various parts of the country. “By the way, the first Sitara-e-Jurat awarded to PAF was to the Transport Command through Flight Lieutenant Mukhtar Dogar on 4 April, 1948,” the veteran added.

He said his Officer Commanding waited for him downstairs in his staff car while the veteran took basic clothing and flying gadgets. A military man can’t tell his OC that his young kid is running high temperature. However, the veteran’s wife knew the service exigencies, who wished him good luck and helped him in packing flying crew bag. The veteran then boarded the car of OC, who was a reserved person. However, this time, the silence was sounding the seriousness of the mission. On reaching the briefing room, the veteran found the Base Commander and OC Flying Wing waiting. Our veteran was briefed about the secrecy, timings and sensitivity of the mission. By this time, he was briefed this mission was in reference to Pakistan’s neighbours’ nuclear explosion a few days back. He had been honored to be part of the team taking the sensitive parts to the forward location in different batches, to respond to the verbal aggression faced by the country. These parts were to be handed over to the responsible persons in the field for a befitting reply to the enemies of Pakistan.

The familiar aircrew was already there at the aircraft with warm smiles and pleasantry exchange. The transport aircrew is unique as they’re vulnerable to any missile or drone attack due to slow speed of their aircraft. They all will be martyred or declared Ghazis as a crew-team. Right from the take off, instructions of Base Commander and OC Flying Wing started striking his mind. “You have been selected because of your flying experience and composure in crisis…There are no proper but improvised night landing facilities at the destination base….There is a likely to be a thunderstorm once you reach there… You have to deliver the keys of the box kept inside the aircraft only to the base commander of that base.” Stanza from Robert Frost poem was constantly lurking in his mind. “Between the woods and frozen lake/The darkest evening of the year”.

He had special feelings of pride and excitement. He could hear the heartbeats and warm circulation of blood throughout his body, the narrator continued. Nearing the western border of Pakistan, he could see the searchlights installed on the Pakistan’s border unusually more glaring than usual in previously experienced night flying missions. An aircraft across the border appeared approaching them, making him recalling the instructions “Remember if any intruder hijacks you and asks you to land at another destination outside Pakistan, you may take evasive actions including any extreme action you consider in the best interest of Pakistan.” Keeping his cool, he could spot it as a passenger airliner. To shunt the distraction, our veteran switched on Radio Pakistan on another frequency. Famous song “Maen bhi Pakistan hoon, too bhi Pakistan hay” was being aired. The poetry and the melody of the song was this night a unique touch. On call to ATC at the destination, the landing strip was immediately lit up with different wavelength lights of dim intensity. The pilot could understand the base has parked all the available vehicles with their lights on with full beams, all along the landing strip. Right then the aircraft experienced severe turbulence. It was becoming difficult to control the aircraft, which was being drifted away due to fast tornadoes and sand storm in air. Silhouettes of dimming lights were appearing and disappearing due to this poor visibility. He turned on the GPS and took visual surrounding marks based upon past experience of landing at this base. Faces of all of his instructors swarmed in front with the old quote “Trust your instruments”. Allah had been kind in assisting in touching the strip exactly at the point they were supposed to land. On opening the door, they could find the staff anxiously waiting for this consignment. He was also conveyed the message of “Good job, boy” from parent base’s base commander with another message from OC, that Squadron Leader Ashfaq and his wife will accompany the veteran’s son and wife to the hospital the next day. And his next assignment of point “X” will commence next day morning.

The crew was taken to the tents already erected there. By now the storm was over the desert area. The veteran preferred to lie on the camp folding charpoy outside the tent. The huge dark sea in the sky was full of studded stars like a spread carpet full of white twinkles. The night was sleeping, except the base where some transportation job was in hand. He could also hear an intermittent frequency of the song from a nearby tent. “Yaad kurta hay zamana unhi insanon ko, Rok letay haen jo burrhtay huway toofanon ko”

Transmitted up and down frequency of the song with a cool breeze, studded stars and a sense of achievement did not let him sleep, for the remaining part of the night. The Fajr brought them a new sunrise like an egg yoke, rising from plane desert ground. Next day, they moved to another location for another special task, with dependable aircrew and aircraft.

“Yaum-e-Takbeer marks a special day in our history. Kudos to the dependable, which ensured positioning of the strategic assets at the right time and place. “When I heard the Nara-e-Takbeer on nuclear explosions of Pakistan on 28 May, 1998, every part of the body responded to Allah-o-Akbar” were the last words of this veteran.

Khan_adnan040@yahoo.com