Also depleted by one aircraft due to last minute unserviceability, the last section of 3 Sabres from 5 Squadron, led by Squadron Leader Sarfraz Ahmed Rafiqui, with Flight Lieutenants Cecil Choudhry and Yunus Hussain as his No 2 and 3 had got airborne when daylight was fading fast. The Halwara strike element actually crossed the international border on its way out just as the other Sargodha Sabres were returning from the abortive Adampur raid, and the 2 elements made visual contact with each other at very low level. Calling up on the radio, 'Butch' Ahmed warned, "Sabres entering, keep a good look out ..lots of Hunters around". Conscious of being the only PAF aircraft over Indian territory, the formation appreciated the warning, although no reminder was necessary to keep them on the alert.

Nothing was seen of enemy air opposition, however, by the time the section estimated it had reached the target. By then, the visibility had become so poor that ground features were not identifiable even from 1,500 ft, although the planned attack height had been 3,500 ft. As the Sabres orbited at about 200 ft to try and find Halwara airfield, Cecil Choudhry called up his leader to report an IAF C-119 transport aircraft flying in the opposite direction. Rafiqui replied, "Leave it alone. We"ll have something better to do in a few minutes." But despite another five minutes or so of circling around over hostile territory, the light was too bad for anything to be distinguished on the ground.

At that point, Choudhry's drop tanks ran dry, so he jettisoned them as briefed. Rafiqui then called up Yunus Hussain and told him to hang on to his tanks unless forced to jettison' them, as he could foresee a possible shortage of these expendable items. From then on, the story is reconstructed by Cecil Choudhry, lean, laconic and wolfish, who was to emerge as the sole survivor of the ill-fated Halwara strike force.

Rafiqui: "Two Hunters, 12 0' clock highkeep an eye on them".

At this stage, the Sabres were flying straight and level at 150-200 ft, and the Hunters were in a left hand orbit a couple of hundred feet higher.

Younus: "Lead, let's get them '.

Rafiqui: "We will. Cecil, you take the one on the left and I'll take the one on the right".

During the orbits, Yunus and Choudhry had been criss-crossing behind their leader to keep his tail clear, so that Rafiqui could not be sure who was on which side at any particular time. Yunus, therefore called up and suggested that from their present position Rafiqui should tackle the lefthand Hunter and he would take the one on the right.

Cecil: "Alpha, your tail is clear -shoot."

Choudhry then saw the left hand (lead) Hunter explode under Rafiqui's guns. Yunus had not yet fired, and just as Rafiqui called up to ask him why, his target Hunter, flying in the No 2 position, broke viciously to the right. Yunus turned with him, covered by the two Sabres, when Choudhry suddenly saw two more Hunters coming in from the right.

Choudhry: "Lead, two Hunters pulling up from starboard".
Rafiqui: "Contact".
Choudhry: "Two more Hunters from the, left, and another two".
Rafiqui: "Roger, keep my tail clear."