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Pakistani Pilots Captured
Mission was to hit Indian Ground Troops, Interrogation done.

22nd Nov : Calcutta: The Two Pakistani Air Force pilots who baled out in Indian territory after being shot down by Indian Air Force Fighters today were captured by Indian Army ground troops soon after the dramatic air battle.

Authorities have shifted the two pilots to detention facilities in Calcutta where they would be interogated.

Asked if the pilots would be set free as there was no condition of war existing between the two countries, the officials refused to comment. Unofficially however one of the official was heard saying that "What they were doing was an act of war, even though a war situation does not exist"

The two pilots names were given as Flt Lt Pervez Mehdi Qureshi and Fg Off Khalil Ahmed. As reported earlier the third PAF fighter shot down crashed in Pakistani territory the pilot baling out safely in East Pakistan. He is believed to be Wing Cdr Chaudhary but no confirmation exists.

A reconstruction of the airbattle after interacting with the Indian Pilots who shot them down confirms that Flt Lt Pervez Mehdi Qureshi was shot down by Flying Officer Donald Lazarus. Fg Off Khalil Ahmed was certainly downed by Flt Lt M A Ganapathy, both of No.22 Squadron, IAF based at Barrackpore.

The Two Pakisani pilots Flt Lt Parvez Mehdi Qureshi and Fg Off Khalik Ahmed were captured by Indian troops on the ground and flown to Calcutta. Currently they are under interrogation.

Radio Intercepts suggest that the third pilot Wg Cdr Chaudhary was the ill-fated third pilot who baled out in East Pakistan..