Ghazi of 1965's Operation Dwarka Vice Admiral retd Iqbal Fazal Qadir passes away
- By Web Desk -
- Oct 19, 2020
ISLAMABAD: Ghazi [survivor] of the Operation Dwarka led by Pakistan Navy in 1965, Vice Admiral retd Iqbal Fazal Qadir, on Monday passed away in Karachi, ARY NEWS reported quoting the naval spokesman.
The spokesman of the Pakistan Navy said that he was a ghazi of Operation Dwarka against India’s naval radar station and an airbase during the 1965 war.
“He was the commander of the PNS Alamgir during the operation,” said the naval spokesman as PNS Babar, PNS Badar, PNS Khyber, PNS Jahangir, PNS Alamgir, PNS Shahjahan, and PNS Tipu Sultan launched a coordinated attack against Indian installations at Dwarka during the 1965 war.
The spokesman said that Vice Admiral retd Iqbal Fazal Qadir was commissioned in the operations branch of the Pakistan Navy during 1951. He was awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-e-Basalat for his services.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi paid tribute to Vice Admiral retd Iqbal Fazal Qadir and prayed for his highest ranks in Jannah besides also condoling with his family over the demise.
“His services for national defence and security will be remembered forever,” he said.
Operation Dwarka
On the night of 7 September, the Pakistan Navy launched its assault on Western Indian shores. Dwarka was chosen for its proximity 200 km (120 mi) from Karachi Port).
The plan called for a fleet of 7 naval vessels of Pakistan to bomb the town of Dwarka. It was aimed at luring the heavy ships anchored in Bombay into attacking the Pakistani ships to enable the submarine PNS Ghazi lurking in the Arabian Sea to engage and sink the Indian ships.
Accordingly, a fleet of seven ships comprising PNS Babur, PNS Khaibar, PNS Badr, PNS Jahangir, PNS Alamgir, PNS Shah Jahan, and PNS Tippu Sultan set sail for Dwarka and bombarded the town.
Pakistan Navy in its successful assault destroyed several installations including radar, railway station, cement factory of Associated Cement Company. Smoke from the damage was visible to the Pakistani warships.