| PNS Zulfiqar (K265) | |
|---|---|
| Career |  |
| Name: | PNS Zulfiqar |
| Fate: | Damaged beyond repair December 1971 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | River-class frigate |
PNS Zulfiqar was a River-class frigate of the Pakistan Navy. Zulfiqar was damaged beyond repair by friendly fire by the aircraft of Pakistan Air Force which mistook it as a missile boat of the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971[1]
History[]
Originally built during World War II as HMS Deveron for the Royal Navy, she was transferred to the Royal Indian Navy in 1945 and being renamed HMIS Dhanush,[2] on Partition she was transferred to the Royal Pakistan Navy and converted into a survey vessel being renamed Zulfiqar,[3] she was decommissioned in 1983.
Operation Trident[]
The Pakistan Navy, on high alert as a result of the Operation Trident, raised a number of false alarms in the ensuing days about the presence of Indian Navy vessels off Karachi. One such false alarm was raised by a PIA Fokker Friendship reconnaissance aircraft carrying naval observers, in the early hours of 6 December 1971 which reported a Pakistan Navy frigate as a missile boat of the Indian Navy, in the area west of Cape Monze on the Pakistani coast.[1] The Pakistan Air Force giving air support to the Pakistan Navy at Karachi, had received the report. Clearance was given to attack by Cdre Bhombal from Pakstan Navy side.[1]
At 0645 hrs, fighter jets were scrambled which strafed the vessel before it was identified as Pakistan Navy's own frigate Zulfiqar. As a result of this air strike the Zulfiqar took 900 hits of .50 ammo killing several officers and men, with many more injured.[4] The air attack on Zulfiqar was halted after frantic efforts by Zulfiqars crew to identify itself as a PNS ship finally succeeded.[1]
The whole incident was monitored by Indian Navy on radio and established a few facts to them:
→a.→It had happened in spite of Zulfiqar being anchored. It showed that PAF pilots couldnot even identify a frigate from missile boat.
→b.→It showed the fear, PN had for missile boats. This incident vindicated the debate to proceed with Ops Python, which was being debated after PAF attack on Okha on night of 5/6 Dec 71.It also prompted Pakistan Navy to bring back the Pakistani fleet closer to the Pakistani shore.[1]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Trident, Grandslam and Python: Attacks on Karachi". http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NAVY/History/1971War/44-Attacks-On-Karachi.html.
- ↑ "HMS Deveron (K265". http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/108.html. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
- ↑ "HMS Deveron (K265)". http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/smiths/19301944/deveron1943.htm. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
- ↑ "DEFENCE NOTES". defencejournal.com. http://defencejournal.com/may98/fightergap2.htm. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
The original article can be found at PNS Zulfiqar (K265) and the edit history here.