A Pakistani national Qais Hussain, a rookie flying officer during the 1965 war, sent the condolence message via e-mail.
Forty-six years after having shot down an Indian civilian aircraft during the 1965 war, a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) pilot has sent a condolence message to the daughter of the pilot he downed.
According to Pakistani English daily The News, a Pakistani national Qais Hussain, a rookie flying officer during the 1965 war, sent the condolence message via e-mail. Hussain also gave details of circumstances under which he shot down the Indian aircraft.
The e-mail is addressed to Farida Singh, daughter of pilot Jahangir “Jangoo” Engineer, one of the three famous Engineer brothers in the IAF. The e-mail sent on August 5, with the subject line “Condolence”, was also copied to Naushad Patel and Jagan Pillarisetti, the Indian contacts who helped Hussain reach the bereaved family.
In his e-mail Hussain tells Farida Singh: “I am glad that by now we know about each other and it is no surprise that I am writing to you, thanks to Naushad Patel and Jagan Pillarisetti.
Giving details about his encounter with Jangoo, Husain wrote: “The aircraft flown by your father had drifted off course by many a miles… he had been going up and down in the border area of Rann of Katchh and made our radars uncomfortable. I intercepted your father’s aircraft, thought to be on a recce mission to open a new war front.
Your father spotted my presence immediately…. Instead of firing at him at first sight, I relayed to my controller that I had intercepted an eight seat transport aircraft and wanted further instructions. I was hoping that I would be called back without firing a shot. But, I was given clear orders to shoot. After the shooting, I had a sense of achievement and satisfaction that I had completed my mission.”
Explaining why he had chosen to get in touch with the slain pilot’s daughter, Husain says, “I have chosen to go into this detail to tell you that it all happened in the line of duty and it was not governed by the concept that ‘everything is fair in love and war’, the way it has been portrayed by the Indian media due to lack of information. I did not play foul and went by the rules of business but the unfortunate loss of precious lives, no matter how it happens, hurts each human and I am no exception. I feel sorry for you, your family and the other seven families who lost their dearest ones.”
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