ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Air Force and Pak Navy chiefs of the Kargil era, Air Chief Marshal (Retired) Pervez Mehdi Qureshi and Admiral (Retired) Fasih Bukhari, have demanded a commission of inquiry to probe the Kargil operation and have agreed to appear before it to give their version of the events surrounding the Kargil episode.

They have revealed that the air force and the navy were not on board when the operation was planned but they declined to divulge other details about it in public.

Air Chief Marshal Qureshi, who is known as PQ Mehdi, while talking to The News on Saturday evening said that the whole world knew that the Pakistan Air Force was not on board when the Kargil operation was being deliberated. “The whole nation is aware of what had happened in Kargil since on the initiation of the action. Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee accused his counterpart in Pakistan Nawaz Sharif of stabbing him in the back. My statement will make no difference about the facts.”

He said the government should order an inquiry into the events of Kargil and everyone who was relevant would turn up with his version. Nobody can say no to such a commission, he added.

He disclosed that the events, which transpired during the days of Kargil, were preserved in the record of the PAF like other forces. “In case I am not in this world tomorrow, the whole record will be available for ascertaining the facts,” the former chief of the Pakistan Air Force said. He said that it was a serious matter and it must be taken with utter seriousness as it was linked with the future of the country and generations to follow.

Interestingly, Pakistan Air Force was not put into operation to counter the Indian Air Force due to strategic reasons. However, a PAF air defence unit shot down an Indian Air Force MiG-27 on May 27, 1999 that entered the Pakistan airspace. Pakistan also shot down another MiG-21, which had come into the area in search of the earlier downed pilot. Pakistan told the world with incontrovertible evidence that these two aircraft had violated the Line of Control (LoC) and entered seven miles into the Pakistan airspace before being shot down by PAF air defence and Pakistan Army surface-to-air missiles (SAM). The Indians claimed that they were in the Indian territory and that the aircraft were shot down by Stinger missiles.

The MiG-27 pilot, Flt. Lt. Nachiketa, ejected and he was captured by Pakistan ground forces as a POW. He was returned to India later when the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee pleaded for his release after cessation of hostilities. Four Indian Air Force personnel were killed on May 28 the same year when an MI-17 chopper was shot down by a Pakistan air defence unit.

Air Chief Marshal Pervez Mehdi Qureshi led the PAF from November 7, 1997 to November 20, 2000.

The former naval chief, Admiral (Retd) Fasih Bukhari, said to a question that he would be prepared to appear before an inquiry commission that would be formed by the government of the day. Such a commission could unearth the whole truth about the matter, he said.

The former naval chief, Admiral (Retired) Fasih Bukhari, became the naval chief on May 2, 1997 and relinquished the command on October 2, 1999, ten days ahead of the coup by his colleague in the Army General Pervez Musharraf against the elected government of Nawaz Sharif.

Admiral Bukhari was the first who disclosed immediately after his retirement that Pakistan Navy was not taken into confidence about the Kargil operation at any stage and it did not make any preparations for any huge eventualities. Since then, he has kept quiet about it.

“I have been maintaining silence about the subject. If the commission constituted by the government calls me for evidence, I will put across my point of view before it with each and every detail concerning the episode,” he said. “I am a military-man and I will not share with the media my experiences in the force since I am under oath,” he added. “But I will not be reluctant to say anything before the commission if I am called.”


http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=15197

Now what can they conclude??? hang nawaz n mushrarraf both in the public!

Neither Navy & not AF were in the know of anything regarding Kargil.

I seriously doubt if they have any actual usable information.

A very serious issue if PN and PAF was not taken into confidence. There was a good chance of Kargil blowing into a full scale war. The biggest strength being PAF wont be comfortable caught off guard. Forget the navy.

What do you mean "forget" the Navy? Shall I remind you of INS Khukri and INS Kirpan during the 71 war? Your boastful nature and over confidence cost you dearly that day and here you are doing it again.

Is it me or am I seeing an indian commenting on matters which are solely Pakistani? This isn't your business, nor is it your Navy or Air Force we're discussing here. I find it enraging to see an outsider start to make our business theirs. Do yourself a favor, before I lose my patience with your pathetic kind, find a broom and shuffle yourself out of our discussions. I have zero tolerance for your kind and everyone on this forum knows all too well about it. Do not provoke us with your pathetic rants and your retarded opinions, you're just a lowlife indian running around on our forum, you're only a guest on this forum, do not forget your place.

Oh and don't even think about replying to my post, just make like a poodle and run along.

Hey cool down man. U know its their habit. Since they are guests, then just give them a little tolerance!!!


PEACE OUT!

More military striptease by generals , army is indeed working to become unprofessional. Pakistanis have learnt nothing in politics but have it everywhere ,even in army now.
These people reached their positions by tushee kissing mushee and now when he is going down yeah join others and
call him the villain.

yes sir.

I am running!!!.

I dont know why Generals even speak. Trumman had no patience for the legendary Mccarthur . Took him but a few mins
to send Mr Mccarthur packing and Indira Gandhi showed no mercy even for a brilliant general like Maneckshaw the man who was the architect of 1971 crushing of Pakistani military at the hands of Indian military.
But, Oh yes democratic institutions in Pakistan are not as mature as US and India. With all due sympathies for Mccarthur and likes of Maneckshaw and Patton. Nothing should be more powerful than the parliament.

If a part of the nation is occupied by foreign power then anything like Kargil is allowed. I do not care who did the dealing. It happened. The few are hero's and it is part of our history. Move on. Western powers did a lot more and no one ever cared.

If the commisioned is called on to the Kargil war i think both General and Sharif would be in big trouble. There have been instances that Post homus sentences have been given to people. The truth should be told to the world. The public has a right to know what has happened in the kargil war.

These retired generals are a disgrace. They are willing to reveal classified information so that they can be part of the Nawaz payroll?

Oh by the way, the PAF was fully part of the Kargil war. At the time the PAF was handicapped by the fact that they had absolutely no BVR capability and could not take on the IAF Mig 29s.
Indians actually claim that they had radar lock on one of our F-16s during and incident in the war.

On the same time PAF claims that one of our F-7P had a sidewinder lock on IAFs Mirage 2000H. And the sidewinder rarely misses its target!!!

The Aim-9L has a range of 18 km I believe while the Super 530D which the Mirage probably employed has a range of 36 km. Also, the Thomson CSF RDM outranges the Grifo-7.

The F-7P might have gotten a lock on to the Mirage 2000 but the odds were probably stacked against it.

Yes the Mirage 2000 is and was superb to the F-7P but maybe the PAFs Pilot was more smarter then the Indian one

Smartness wouldn't really have helped. The Mirage 2000 would have detected the F-7P before being detected itself.

Like I said even if he had a lock on its very unlikely, that he was within the Sidewinders envelope.

Do you know what other aircrafts were accompanying the Mirage 2000?

No the thing is M2K came into Pakistani airspace by mistake it was locked on by PAF F-7P on Cap both the M2K pilot and F-7P pilot were smart because PAF wasnt suppose to fire until fire uponed the M2K pilot knew he was in pakistani airspace so his rules of engagement must have changed since he was in Pakistani airspace and he too could only fire if he was fired upon but the Fact of the matter is M2k was locked by a PAF F-7P i think both sides were smart not to fire at one another since during the tentions this could have escilated into a bigger conflict.

So, did the Mirage lock on as well?

I'm still looking for a link to the incident. More details would be appreciated.

This isn't the correct thread to discuss this, so perhaps starting a new thread would be in order. Is it possible for the mods to split a thread(as opposed to merging two)?

It was a single M2k namec and it was in pakistani territory it was locked on by 2 F-7P, the indian pilot wasnt aware that he was in Pakistani airspace and he was in deep he was locked but escorted out of Pakistani F-7P no fire took place although its comfirmed that the F-7P has a lock on the M2k.

I tried to find the article for you but i couldnt find it anymore although its not a biggie if it was locked by a F-7P,IAF Mig-29 pilots claim they had a lock on PAF F-16's while they were very near the LOC with their BVR missles.

Well if the Mirage 2000s pilot was in Pakistani airspace, then thats a very shame ful thing for the Indian ATC or the pilot itself. Cuz it is highly risky and like an unwanted suicide for the pilot.

The airspace in which the engagement was going on was very very close to border. And considering the speed at which these fighter moves is susceptible to errors.

Well, head on, the Mirage pilot would have ostenibly detected and locked on to the F-7P before getting a lock on himself. Any idea what aircraft were accompanying the Mirage? Was the Mirage flying CAPs or CAS?

Some reports indicate that IAFs Mirage 2000s were used mainly for surgical strike missions. And maybe that Mirage was alone trying to set the co-ordinates in the Pakistani territory. Only sernior Air Force officials can comment on this incident!

It doesnt make any difference. Although PAF Fighters were super sonic. They didnt penetrated the Indian airspace even for a single time.

The Anza Missiles wont judge the intentions of the intruders. So the pilots really need to intellegent!

AOA,

In my point of view, if our F-7P had locked the Mirage-2000, the possible scenario could be.

As Indians had deployed Mirages for precision attack role. May be at that time the radar of Mirage 2000 would be in air-ground mode. The radar which Mirage 2000 has, is very complex to operate effectively. The PAF pilot might took advantage at that time and locked him on.

No man no idea, all i know is that M2k was locked on by a F-7P, i wont lie or fabricate the truth to make my point wish i knew more so you could know this came from PAF and onething even you can agree on PAF is very professional and they only acknowledge facts. i will try to find more info for you though.

True but all strike aircraft were escorted by fighters. So, the F-7Ps would normally be engaging the MiG-29s(probably) escorting the Mirages.




I think its likely the F-7P locked on to the Mirage while it returning(or had just started returning) from the strike. Basically it would have been on the Mirage's six, though the Sidewinder isn't very useful in a tail chase.

Appreciate it thanks.

thats an interesting debate but could any airforce official comment on this incident?