One of the few Canberras to be active during the early hours of 15 September became the first victim of the PAF Sabres in their night fighter role. The Pakistani pilot involved on this occasion was Cecil Choudhry, who had been the sole survivor of the ill-fated dusk strike against Halwara airfield at the start of the war. Flight Lieutenant Choudhry's report of the combat is reflective of intricacies that were involved in such interceptions without an airborne radar.

This- was the only confirmed victory gained by a Sabre at night, involving Sidewinder air to air missile, although there were several other inconclusive engagements. At Peshawar, for example, Sidewinder-armed Sabres of 19 Squadron were scrambled almost every night on air defence missions, and patrolled under radar directions around the airfield at about 7,000 ft. Only on one occasion, however, did a Peshawar Sabre get close enough to warrant launching its missile, but without apparent results. On at least one occasion, an IAF Canberra fired back at a PAF night fighter - in this case, an F-104 - with its belly-mounted 20mm cannon but, not unnaturally, without effect.