So far the burden of the required missions had fallen on PAF Sargodha, and it looked as if more was to follow for them. To ease the situation in the face of the threatening tempo of hostilities, 10 F-86s led by Squadron Leader Wiqar Azim flew to Sargodha from Mauripur in the south, where things were relatively quiet for the moment. The next day - 3 September, Squadron Leader Alauddin (Butch) Ahmed, OC 18 Squadron with Squadron Leader S M Rab, the Wing Ops Officer, joined the contingent, which now under the command of Wing Commander M Sikandar formed the new strike element of Sargodha.

The passage of events upto the evening of the 2nd was significant enough to suggest the likelihood of an IAF intervention, possibly in strength the next morning. Pak 7 Division was in fact to ask for air cover early next morning, as many of their vehicles still had not crossed the Tawi and disaster could overtake them should the IAF be permitted strikes against them. Peshawar and Mauripur were put on a thirty minute alert starting a half hour before first light. Patrols in the northern Sector by sections of 2 Sabres and 1 F-104 from Sargodha started at 0530 hours on the morning of 3 September, as the day's task of deterring the IAF from interfering in the battle raging on the ground was begun. To keep track of enemy ground forces, a visual recce at dawn was flown, by 2 Sabres from Sargodha, and reported concentration of troops and vehicles 2 miles east of Akhnur. A similar mission from Peshawar over the main AK sectors reported 10 to 12 tanks at Baramula and a single Canberra plus I transport aircraft on the airfield at Srinagar. This airfield had to be constantly watched as it could provide a clue to possible 1AF intentions, and it was, moreover, the only Indian airfield from which a surprise low level bombing attack could be mounted against Peshawar.

The apprehensions of the night before were soon to materialize, and the efficacy of PAF's precautions against their anticipated results put to test. At 0700 hours Sakesar picked up an enemy track which it assessed as 4 aircraft at 36,000 ft over the battle area. A pair of F-86s and an F-104 already airborne on a CAP were directed to engage the enemy. The Sabres led by Flight Lieutenant Yusaf Ali were the first to make contact with a formation of 4 Gnats. In the ensuing fight 2 more Gnats appeared on the scene and the PAF pair put up a stout performance to disperse the enemy, thus thwarting their intentions. The F-104, flown by Flying officer Abbas Mirza, after futile pursuit of the hostile track, was redirected by the SOC towards this ongoing combat. With a series of high speed dives through the tightly circling aircraft, the F-104 helped to drive the enemy away. Flight Lieutenant Yusaf's Sabre had been damaged by the 30mm guns of a Gnat in this encounter, but he bravely nursed it back to Sargodha, and later it flew again.

One of the most extraordinary hits on Fit Lt Khan's Sabre was the passage of a 30mm shell right up the tailpipe of one of his Sidewinder missiles, passing through the rocket motor and finally exploding about half-way along the 9ft 2in length of the GAR-8. The front portion of the missile, containing the warhead and sensitive infira-red homing equipment, was blown off (and recovered later) but the explosion of the 30mm shell put several thousand splinters through the wing and accounted for the failure of the undercarriage hydraulic system.

Despite its severe damage, this Sabre was repaired and returned to operational service by the indefatigable industry of the PAF engineers at Sargodha led by Sqn Ldr M. Wahidullah in charge of the Repair and Salvage Unit, and Sqn Ldr I. A. Kazi, commanding the Aircraft Engineering Squadron. In conjunction with F/L Khan, the PAF maintenance personnel confounded the claim by All-India Radio of the destruction of a PAF Sabre, for which Sqn Ldr Trevor Keelor of the IAF was awarded the Vir Chakra. This fight took place just south of the Tawi crossing near Chamb, the aircraft descending at times down to 1,500 ft and below.

The action coincided with the arrival of Major General Yahya and the Commander 4 Corps artillery at Chamb police station, and a staff officer from HQ 7 Division was to observe that, had the PAF not intercepted the enemy aircraft, Pak Army, apart from anything else, stood in danger of losing a 100-odd vehicles sprawled out helplessly across the Tawi.