23 March: From F-104 to JF17 Thunder - And Beyond (J10Cs - Dragons)

23 March is an important national day in the life of Pakistan -   It is the day when on 23 March 1940 the Pakistan Resolution was unanimously put forward in a historic meeting of the All India Muslim League during its annual meeting at Lahore's Manto Park (later renamed as Iqbal Park after Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, who for the first time gave the idea of a separate Muslim state to be carved out of the British India as he could see that Muslims and Hindus could coexist  - something that has now abundantly seen in the present day India where Hindu hardliners are deadly against Muslims and torture them in one way or the other) to demand for a separate homeland for the Muslims of the British India. It is also the day when the first constitution of Pakistan was adopted.

The relevant part of the resolution is as under:

No constitutional plan would be workable or acceptable to the Muslims unless geographical contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary. That the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in majority as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitute independent states in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign.

It is also the day in 1956 when Pakistan was declared Islamic Republic of Pakistan from the Dominion of Pakistan and broke away the remnants of the British yoke which it continued even after partition from the British India on 14 August 1947. Initially the day was called the Republic Day but later integrating the two milestone events of same day in 1940 and 1956, it started to be known as Pakistan Day.

To commemorate this memorable day with honour and dignity, a Pakistan Day parade by the armed forces of Pakistan is held.

For me, this day has a tinge of nostalgia as it was this day in 1964 when I witnessed the armed forces parade for the first time at Fortress Stadium Lahore. And the hallmark of the day was the fly past of the supersonic Lockheed F-104 jets, known as the Starfighter - the first supersonic aircraft of Pakistan, which had then been recently acquired from USA through Jordan. In fact at that time, Pakistan was the only country outside NATO which had been supplied with this modern aircraft of its time. The whole crowd of spectators applauded with a thunderous clap when the Starfighters flew past over our heads.

Later it was the same aircraft, which broke the sound barrier around 11 AM on 6 September 1965 - a thunderous noise that announced the breaking out of war between India and Pakistan. I was in school when the sound barrier was broken and it was soon after that our school was closed and we were all sent home.

That was 1964 - but as the 23 March 2018 dawns in Pakistan, the Pakistan Air Force proudly flies its indigenously produced JF-17 Thunder lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft, which has been developed as a joint venture by Pakistan and China, and inducted in Pakistan Air Force in 2010.  So far about 100 of block I and II versions of JF-17 Thunder have entered in active service of the Pakistan Air Force. 

And plans are afoot to work on the block-III with many advancements in avionics, ordnance carrying capability and cruising range. Powered by a Guizhou WS-13 or Klimov RD-93 after burning turbofan, it has a top speed of Mach 1.6 and is equipped with  air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, and a 23 mm GSh-23-2 twin-barrel auto-cannon.

And that is not all - in the meantime Pakistan Army and Navy too have undergone substantial changes and news weapons and platforms have been added. Thus today's parade shows up a huge weapon show in the parade ground outside Islamabad with lush green Margalla hills in the back ground.

This portion of the post is added on 23 March 2022:

Pakistan Air Force has come a long way from F-86 Sabers to F-104s and then the second stage of induction of state of the art F-16s in early 1980s. Now in the 2000s, we have Joint Fighter 17s Thunders  and very recently inducted J10Cs from China. We always have had the game changers.

Photo: PAF Fighters is with Azhar Hussain.

We shall write mor about J10C shortly. The present inventory of Pakistan Air Force is formidable and we intend building it on with possible induction of Chinese J20s, the stealth 5th generation aircraft in times to come.

The entire nation stand behind its gallant armed forces which are not only the single largest contributor the UN Peace Keeping Missions across the world, but is also one of the longest embattled army with the terrorists and miscreants mostly coming from Afghanistan, targeting and falling back. The effective check and ruthless elimination of terrorists' havens has afforded much needed peace to Pakistan to concentrate on its developenmtal plans for present and future. Though it is sad to see USA and other world powers still not acknowledging sacrifices of some 70,000 and still press on Pakistan to do more. 

Our Armed Forces would continue to fight back terrorism in any form and one day God willing will be successful in its efforts.

Read my previous post on F-104s: 23 March and the F-104 Starfighters

Photos: PAF

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Beautiful Birds of Pakistan - 6

This is my sixth post on beautiful birds as seen and photographed in Pakistan. And it is really heartening to see that more and more bird watchers are now sharing their experiences and beautifully shot photos of bird in Pakistan and sharing these on various groups on bird watching in social media. 

Mohsan Raza Ali is one of such bird lovers who shares his extensive shoots wherever he happens to be while traveling Pakistan. The photos being shared are those shot in the coital city Islamabad, the Margalla Hills and the Lake View Park near Islamabad and even Kahror Pakka in the Souther Punjab province of Pakistan where Mohsan shot the Black Drongo as seen in the caption photo and the five photos below:

 Blue Throat

 Indian Robbin male

 Indian Robbin female

Plain Prinia in yellow

White throated kingfisher

Common Kingfisher - Lake View Park Islamabad 

Kingfisher is one of may favourite birds for its vivid colours and extended peak which allows it to be recognized from long distance.

 Common babbler

Western Yellow Wagtail 

Common babbler and Western Yellow Wagtail are from the central Punjab province city of Muzaffargarh.

The birds in photos below are as seen in various parts of Pakistan's capital city Islamabad:

 Cinereous tit -Islamabad

 Crimson sun bird-Islamabad

 Long tailed shrike-Lake View Park-Islamabad

 Pied bush chat-Islamabad

 Red-billed Leiothrix-Margalla Hills

 -Rufous bellied Niltalva (female)-Margalla Hills

White throat fantail -Islamabad

About the Photographer:

Mohsan Raza Ali hails from city of Multan and is now settled in Islamabad. Besides his wonderful hobby of bird watching and photography, he is computer science graduate from Islamic University, Islamabad and has been a senior Software Engineer at Bentley Systems, Development Manager at Aspose, Development Manager at Data Focal Innovations and an Application Architect at LMKR.

All photos above are the property of Mohsan Raza Ali and have been shared with his due permission. His photos can be seen on Facebook | Caption Photos: Crimson Sunbird

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Fascinating Pakistan: Islamabad - One of the most beautiful Capitals of the World

Islamabad - one of the most beautiful capital cities of the world. I first saw Islamabad when it had been recently inaugurated in 1966 my father shifted his Interpol office from Rawalpindi to Islamabad. Turning left traveling in the VW wagon of the then famous Waljis Travel Services, the Islamabad Highway was something I had never seen till that age of my life - the two lanes long highway with street lights in the green belt in between the two way traffic was an awesome scene for at that time no such road existed in Pakistan. That day, I entered the modern city of Islamabad overlooked by the lush green Margalla Hills.

Islamabad was still developing but roads were wider than any other city with clean environment. Opel Rekord taxis were the main pillar of transport beside buses and Ford wagons. We lived in F 6-4 and at the end of the main road next to our hose lived the architect of Islamabad and the President of Pakistan Muhammad Ayub Khan. In the evenings, he would be seen in his newly gifted Rolls Royce by the then UAE king and we would stand there to wave at him to be waved back by the smiling president.

On November 29, Pakistan Post issued a set of two stamps priced at 15 and 50 Paisa respectively on the formal inauguration of the new capital. The stamps displayed the Pakistani flag, the federal secretariat building and photos of president Ayub Khan both in uniform and in suit (stamps from my stamps album).

I still remember a visit to the Shakarparian Hills which provided an excellent bird's eye of the entire capital city stretched amid green trees. While Saidpur village has been turned into a must visit tourist landmark, it was then just an ordinary village. I along with my other brothers had bicycled to the village once. Visiting it recently was a site altogether different. 

 Renovated Saidpur Village

Melody was then the only cinema of the city near Aabpara market and Hotel Sherahzad the only five star hotel - later turned into the offices of Foreign Ministry. Siraj Covered market was a modern market of the city which provided under one roof shopping mostly to the foreigners of the diplomatic family. We would often visit the market - it is sad that the market is no more now, though many new markets and big shopping malls have since opened to cater for needs of its residents.

Ayub Khan being briefed about Islamabad Master Plan from a vantage point - File Photo

It was President Ayub Khan who decided to build a new capital for Pakistan away from the busy city of Karachi, which was kept as capital of newly born Pakistan in 1947. Soon after taking over as president of the country, Ayub Khan constituted a commission to select a suitable site which should be centrally located and amid a landscape that should add to its natural beauty as compared to hustle and bustle business like environment of port city of Karachi. Thus the present location on the Pothohar Plateau was slelected and a Greek firm of architects, Konstantinos Apostolos Doxiadis, designed the master plan of the city based on a grid plan which was triangular in shape with its apex towards the Margalla Hills.

The city from then has developed into a most modern city mostly with government offices, the presidency, the prime minister's secretariat, the Supreme Court and an exclusive diplomatic enclave to house dozens of embassies and foreign missions. There are many landmarks of the city like the Faisal Mosque, Pakistan Monument and the Margalla Hills National Park and Shakarparian Park. The city is home to sixteen universities, and is close to the hill station of Murree and the famous archaeological site of Taxila.

Beautiful evening view of the Bara Darri at Fatima Jinnah Park which is also venue to many gatherings, events and a colourful annual flower show

While Shakarparian Hills still present an easy accessible view point of Islamabad, lately a road has been developed up to the village of Pir Sohawa on the Margalla Hills, from where one can view the breathtaking view of Islamabad. 

Road to Pir Sohawa almost camouflaged in the thick forest trees - Photo Northern areas of Pakistan

The road that commences from the Margazar at the foothills of the Margalla Hills moves up along the sharp turning of the hills till a mid point where a beautiful restaurent offers sizzling Pakistani delicacies. But from here on a rather sharp gradient road leads up to the top of the Margalla Hills to the village of Pir Sohawa. Short of the village there is yet another other eatery which offers not only one of the best cuisines in town, but also a spectacular view of Islamabad down below, specially at night.

View from Monal Restaurant near Pir Sohawa - Photo Courtesy Shehzad Mir

In many surveys recently, Islamabad ranks in the top 10 beautiful capitals of the world and has its place among the first three. 

• Matrix Guy ranks it as the first position in his post "Top ten best capital cities' and writes: It is an amazing;highly developed and absolutely safe capital city, but also regarded as one of the best capitals in Asia and can be competed with any glorious capital city in the world - even from a highly developed country. 
• Omer Eren places Islamabad at number two in his list of 25 Most Beautiful Capitals in the World at Today's Collective.
• The Mesh News also places Islamabad at the second slot in its list of Top 10 25 Most Beautiful Capitals in the World in 2017 and writes: Not so large but most beautiful city of Pakistan better known for its most eye-catching places as Pakistan monument, Rawal Lake, Lake View Park, Saidpur village, Faisal mosque and many other. Everyone love to visit this place from country as well as all around the world.

Islamabad: an amazing amalgamation of sky rising buildings and Nature: 

Photo Courtesy Shehzad Mir

Islamabad is so lovable because here springtime dances with multicolored flowers everywhere swaying with the still cool breeze of fading winters, the scent of which enchants and mesmerisms the passer byes. At night when the city lights are turned on, it looks as if thousands of fire flies have descended from nowhere to lighten up the city for its people. The narration of its beauty is fathomless - the more you live in it, the more of its beauty is discovered like a bud slowly opens up in springtime to a fully grown scented colourful flower.

Pakistan Monument on a hill overlooking Zero Point

Islamabad is darling of Pakistan cities and those who have seen it once, always long to see it once again. If you haven't visited Islamabad, do include it in your list of intended travel destinations and vising it and enjoying the serenity of its cool lush green environment with tall pine trees along the wide road sides and hospitality of its people - never to be forgotten and always to cherish lifetime memories.

Caption Photo Islamabad: Annaya Khan - all other photos are mine except otherwise mentioned

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A visit to Lake view park, Islamabad in rain

The monsoon season in Islamabad is rather pleasant with cool breeze blowing all the day. Sunday yesterday was one such day with a heavily overcast sky with a drizzling here and there. We therefore decided to spend the day at the nearby Rawal Lake View Park, located on the Islamabad-Murree highway.

However, it was till after midday that we finally got out and drove towards the park with a light drizzle en route. When we neared the only large scale picnic place for the people of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, we encountered a long line of cars waiting to go in. Some hurriedly parked their cars along the roadside, shrinking the two lane-road into one lane and adding more congestion to the snail paced traffic.

We made it to the car park, which wasn't as full as we thought would be since many had parked their cars outside it. We parked the car, bought tickets, Rs.10 for adults and Rs.5 for the children, while under five years were free to move in. It was still drizzling lightly but the poor ostrich in the small zoo was already drenched as can be seen in the photo below. 

The cloudy weather made it pleasant to roam around and move towards the lake view point.

The lake was dotted with colourful boats, filled with families, who despite the light drizzle seemed to be enjoying the boat ride in the muddy waters of the lake, which seemed full to its capacity.

A boatman waiting for the customers

While we were thinking of hiring a boat for us, it suddenly started to rain heavily. All those standing on the view points, along with us started rushing back at a quicker pace, while ladies resorted to a hurried pace to find a shelter. I did not increase my speed as I always love walking in the rain since my childhood. Though drenched completely, I continued to move towards the car park as the ladies hurriedly decided to call it a day.

While the place is well planned, it is not kept neat and clean at all. Rather I did not see any semblance of cleanliness, neither by the staff of the park nor by the tourists and holidaymakers visiting the park. While the ill-planned dust bins were over flowing, the holidaymakers ensured that they throw rubbish wherever they liked to.

Even the plastic bottles and other litter could be seen in the water. But perhaps this is how it is all over wherever the rush of tourists is much more. Just a day or two ago, I shared a post about Paris, "The other side of Paris," where I found such scenes as above near the Eiffel Tower when I visited it last September, due to lack of adequate cleaning arrangement.

We need to educate ourselves to keep public parks clean and adhere to litter-discipline so as not to make it look like an eye soar.

Since it had suddenly started to rain, I had just the time to take a snap of my son before turning back. I enjoyed the day and was happy that people in large number had come out of their houses and enjoy the weather and the scenic Lake View Park of Islamabad.

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Birthday atop Margalla Hills, Overlooking Islamabad

When we were kids, our father used to take us brothers to Shezan restaurant located on the Mall Road near the Regal cinema and there the birthday kid was 'honoured' to order for the evening tea and even pay the bill, the money already given by our father. The birthday kid was also told before hand to leave a sizable tip for the waiter as a courtesy. All this was done as an education as to how to go to a restaurant, order for food/tea and then how to pay the bill. Besides, taking to a reputed restaurant, as Shezan was in the 60s, was also to teach us the table manners, use of napkin, and the appropriate cutlery for eating etc. 

Now that I am father myself, I also take my my sons on their birthdays to a reputed eatery so that the the tradition of educating children continues. I hope my children one day will do the same to educate their kids.

Last evening, it was my elder son's birthday and on his request we all went to Monal Resetting near the village of Pir Sohawa atop Margalla Hills, overlooking the capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad. It is the same place about which I wrote a post earlier with the title 'Bolt at Pir Sohawa' which described my first eye witness view of lightning striking just in front of - it looked as if millions of bulbs flashed with a cracking sound. Awesome it was and my first view of a bolt. Margalla Hills also witnessed its first air crash of an airbus of Air Blue airlines in July 2010 during a heavily overcast day, in which all passengers perished when the aircraft crashed on to the slopes of the hills.

The long and winding road up to Pir Sohawa [ Photo: AlKalam ]

Now coming back to going up the Margalla Hills, Well it is very easy saying so - but getting up the Margalla Hills is not that easy and only expert drivers can make it up to the top as the turn are not only very sharp but have very steep gradient. Although it was my third drive up the Margalla top, it looked as if I was 'attempting' it for the first time. I had a rather 'first timer' in front of me who would literally stop on each turn, making it difficult to me to reciprocate in time to save a bump. Since the road is not very wide and there was so much of traffic coming down from the opposite side that it was really difficult to overtake the seemingly 'new comer' of Margalla Hills. However, on a  sharp turn I dared and was successful in crossing over. 

And finally we made it to a little short of the village Pir Sohawa to Monal Restaurant, which is picturesquely located between two ridges and one can see a beautiful panoramic view of the capital city of Pakistan. I do not know why the restaurant is named so, but Monal is a beautiful coloured pheasant which is found in the northern areas of Pakistan - I made a mention of this while I wrote a post on the Kumrat valley and the Jahaz Dand lake recently.

Although it was not a weekend, but there was so much of rush that there was almost a kilometers long line of cars parked outside the tiny car parking of the restaurant and when entering the car parking, I was told by the guards that after disembarking, we shall have to hand over the keys for valet parking. However luckily once inside, a few cars were moving out and I got lucky to park conveniently in front of the Monal bakers.

My birthday son scrutinizing the menu while his sibling looks on

And when we went inside, it looked as if the entire world was squeezed inside the three platforms of the restaurant as each table was full with the smoke and aroma of skewered food being prepared on burning coal spread all over the place. after a wait, we got hold of a table and then for next one and a half hour devoured some of the delicacies of the restaurant - specially the cheese bread. 

The brightly lit second floor terrace 

But for those who wanted something unique to be presented with, there was a special 'one meter long seekh kebab' on the menu with a price tag of Rs.1,799.00. Though we did not order it, but from the place where we were sitting, we could see it being prepared, cooked and then served in a special platter. Those with a heart did order and I counted at least six being 'sent out.'

In the background, one could listen to Urdu songs being sung by a local singer, which added delight to the overall milieu. And unknown to my birthday son, my wife and my other son went over to the musicians and asked them sing 'happy birthday to Waqaace' the same way I did on my first visit to the place when it was the birthday of my younger on. 

There were lots of people, both locals, foreigners and tourists thronging Islamabad from other cities as this is the summer vacation time of schools and colleges and many people visit Islamabad, and surrounding areas of Murree, Nathiagali, Abbottabad and even beyond including Swat, Naran and Gilgit. There was a family sitting in the third floor entertaining a Sikh friends and I could see them laughing and enjoying from my table on the second floor. I tried to take a snap but the photo did not come quite well from my cell phone camera.

Those traveling to and visiting Islamabad, should not miss the opportunity for a 'drive' atop Margalla Hills to have a rich, oily, hearty dinner - something that one would cherish for years.

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Suspended Dust Shrouds Islamabad

Last night we had a hail storm and heavy rain after a dust storm that hit Islamabad. Thereafter the weather became cold once again, which otherwise was going with a rising mercury after saying goodbye to the winters. In fact the spring has already set in and everyday I went out, I saw a new set of flowers opening their buds and coming to life.

Photo taken by my cell phone camera shows suspended dust - otherwise the horizon shows hills beyond the skyline

So today morning, when I went out to collect the newspaper, I was amazed to find 'fog' everywhere and I could not see anything beyond 100 meters. In jubilation and amazement, I inhaled a large sum of air and filled it in my lungs. But what!! Instead of filling my lungs with a refreshing cool air, the inhale that I took had something strange in its smell - smell of dust. It was only then I realized that it wasn't that the reduced visibility was not on account of fog but suspended dust that was there in the air. The whole city seemed to be shrouded in dust - something like a scene from the Twilight Zone.

Facing north from my house, on the horizon on clear day, I can see Margalla Hills - but today it is all gone

And even now almost in the afternoon, the dust continues to remain suspended and any 'exercise' to inhale 'fresh air' simply means pumping in dust instead.

Since after the Pakistan-India match, when WAPDA was kind enough not to resort to the usual load shedding, the revenge load shedding is on today and  I could not listen to news or switch on the internet to know what is happening between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka or anything about the dust storm. Now that light has come after a spell of almost 6 hours, I am hurriedly writing this post, and have in the meantime also found that a huge dust storm has hit the country from Karachi, entire Balochistan and even Islamabad.

The sun faintly peeping out from the layer of dust even at around 4 PM when I took this shot

Now met reports say that the storm could stay as long as 24 hours until Tuesday night or even beyond. It is also reported that all PIA flights from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad were cancelled on Monday after a severe dust storm lashed the Quetta valley and other parts of Balochistan.

We hope to see a clear day tomorrow..

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