RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Air Force bagged till 2000 hours today [Dec 4] since the operations began last night, a total of 46 Indian planes. They included 29 confirmed destroyed, eight destroyed but not yet confirmed and nine damaged. Three more planes were destroyed by the Pakistan Navy — one in the Chittagong area and two in Karachi.

[Meanwhile, news agencies add from Karachi,] Pakistan Navy guns shot down two Indian planes late last night [Dec 4] during an abortive enemy raid on Karachi, an official spokesman said. He disclosed that the Naval guns went into action as soon as the Indian planes were detected … and shot down the intruding aircraft before they could cause any damage. Our Staff Correspondent adds: The Indian war planes made innumerable air raids on Karachi yesterday … and unloaded their lethal cargo on the civilian population — killing 10 and injuring 25 others. A nine-year-old boy, Qamrul Hasan … also became the target of the Indian aggression, and gave his life for the country.

… A petrol installation in the harbour was strafed but it escaped any serious damage. According to unofficial sources two Indian planes were shot down in the morning and another in the evening. The morale of the people remained very high. People were seen on the roads and rooftops watching our interceptors engaging and chasing away the Indian enemy planes… . Failing in their military object, the Indian planes mercilessly strafed the civilian population in Baghdadi, Keamari, Chakiwara, Korangi, Mauripur and PECHS. …[A]n Indian plane fired a shell, blowing up the roof of an ex-government officer’s residence in PECHS.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2021