It is more than four years that the previous Government decided to place a complete ban on import of weapons and ammunition, and grant of arms license in Pakistan. Ostensibly it was done to control the worsening law and order situation, but in retrospect it might have been anything. I have strong reasons to lament against this ban. Although the present Government has lifted this ban, but still the policy is in doll drums and so far no import permissions have been granted. This post will look in to this matter in some detail. Please read on…
If anything these impulsive purchases promise to burn a hole in the pockets of gun enthusiasts. The Walther TPH in .25 ACP is another one of my favorite pocket pistols. Small, light weight, reliable and accurate, what more can one ask for. Although there is a huge debate on the effectiveness of the .25 ACP, nevertheless pocket pistols are very good back up guns. So this thing, I literally fell for it. A small review and pictorial follows…
So on my last visit to the famous “Darra Bazaar” in Darra Adam Khel, I happened to come by this little monster of a gun, the CZ 45. The result was an impulsive purchase which was quite manageable. The CZ 45 is a semi-auto ,blow-back pistol chambered in . 25 ACP, developed by the famous Czech firearms company Česká Zbrojovka. It is a very small handgun which in my opinion falls in the category of “mouse guns”, very small, very light, ultra-concealable and reliable. This is a no bells and whistles handgun that you can hide in your shirt or trousers pocket without leaving an impression or trace that you are actually carrying a firearm. The pistol was developed somewhere in 1945 and is being produced to this day.
When a friend suggested this book to me, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read it. That’s because I have stopped reading Military history and stuff, but then one day I ordered it from Vanguard and after reading a few pages I found it was one of those “hard to put down books.”
This is the story of an ace fighter pilot of Pakistan Air Force, Sajjad Haider, and in that he has covered the history of PAF, the training years , the 1965/71 wars, the role of PAF, that of the Army and its operations. It is in fact much more than that. The book dispels myths about our leaders (both military and civilians), it takes a rather good look at our history, where we went wrong, the machinations of the powers that be from 1950’s till the 1980’s and beyond.
I found it to be well researched with relevant references all along. This is one of those books that clears a lot of mist, surronding our history, mostly related ot the wars and the roles of PAF and Army. Since the officer remained at important positions in the PAF and was well respected being a decorated war hero so it carries weight. It is a fisrt hand account of a pilot. The man who lead PAF attack on Pathankot and destroyed 11 enemy aircraft (19th Squadron) and again attacked enemy columns at Lahore, stalling their advance to Lahore in 1965. The narration of various air missions is presented in a detailed and graphic manner, the reader feels being a part of the operation.
It makes a good read for history buffs and anyone interested in knowing more about the Pakistan India wars, operation Gibraltar and Grans Slam. (I would call it the alternative view” that forces you to view a different dimension of our history.)
