Number Three for Khalid, November 3rd, 1988

Squadron Leader Khalid's and PAF's last confirmed victory came on 3rd November 1988 during the course of a CAP mission near Kohat. On this occasion, Khalid was flying F-16A 84-717 as No. 2 in a two-ship formation. The encounter opened with Khalid and his leader at 10,000 ft when they were informed by GCI that six contacts were heading towards the border, a subsequent message confirmed that three of these had violated Pakistani airspace while the other three stayed right on the border line.

On a heading of 280 degrees, the two F-16s moved to engage, the lead very quicly informing GCI that he had radar contact. Khalid obtained a lock on the No. 2 aircraft, which was flying on the southern side of the formation. They continued to close the gap but a distance of 8 nm Nos. 2 and 3 of the enemy formation opted for direction and executed a 180 degrees turn, which very quickly allowed them to regain the security of Afghanistan. Khalid then advised his leader that his contact had turned tail. For some reason, the leading Afghan fighter kept coming and at a range of 7 nm, the F-16 lead pilot obtained a visual tally, with Khalid following suit moments later. At this time both F-16s were still at 10,000 ft while the bandit - which was confirmed as a Su-22 was some 7000 ft higher. Both F-16s then initiated a gradual climb as the Su-22 began turning to depart, the enemy pilot having been advised by his GCI of the presence of the two F-16s. His tardiness in heading for safety was to prove an expensive error. Khalid's lead elected to press home his attack, but the Su-22 pilot then showed good tactical sense by turning to face the threat. This prevented the first F-16 from getting off a missile, although that its pilot had experienced some difficulty with his Sidewinder which may have prevented him from engaging. In choosing to evade the threat posed by the leading F-16, the Su-22 pilot placed hinself at the risk of attack by Khalid, who wasted no time in making a hard right turn into the Su-22. He duly launched an AIM-9L from a range of 2.7 nm in a head-on pass. While all that was going on, the lead F-16 began manoeuvring into a position which would enable him to engage the Su-22 with gunfire from a six-o'clock position. He still had some way to go when Khalid's Sidewinder struck home , smoke and panels falling from the damaged fighter, which continued flying about 10 nm inside Pakistan.

Khalid realised very quickly that the Su-22 was damaged. he waited a few more seconds before launching another AIM-9L at an aspect angle of about 150-160 degrees, this barely leaving the rail before the enemy pilot ejected . This missile also scored a direct hit, causing the Su-22 to break in two and headed earthwards on fire. The entire incident was observed from the ground by personnel of the Pakistan Army and by Pathan tribesmen. Khalid was subsequently showered with gifts, including a Kalashnikov and sundry other weapons. Captain Hashim, the luckless Afghan pilot, was captured and revealed under interrogation that all six aircraft were from a squadron at Matun. Three had been tasked with air-to-ground operations while the other three flew top cover, but it seems that the colonel in charge ran away as the strike element crossed the border. In an odd postcript, Hashim also allegedly said that his mother had told him not to fly that day.

For the PAF, that was just about it, although Khalid was to enjoy a further moment of excitement when flying solo night 'hot' scramble mission in an F-16B on January 31st, 1989. On this occasion, he was directed to investigate a border violation near Bannu and he duly headed towards the area at 10,000 ft under GCI direction. Repeated attempts at obtaining an IR lock on the enemy contact (which was down at 2,000ft/610 m and which was suspected to be engaged on a bombing raid) failed to meet with success. As Khalid moved closer under GCI control, the aircraft put its light on and was revealed to be an An-24. Under the rules of engagement then in force, Khalid was directed to let it go, so he pulled up and began flying above it, advising GCI that it looked like the An-24 was planning to land. Ultimately, the transport made an approach to the River Kuram ( a dried-up river bed ) and the pilot may have been under the impression that it was a paved runway. Moments after touching down, the An-24 struck a palm tree and cartwheeled before being engulfed in a massive explosion, followed by numerous secondary detonations as the load of ammunition it was carrying 'cooked-off' in the intense heat.