Pakistani singer and actor Azaan Sami Khan has shared a video of his late grandfather, Squadron Leader Arshad Sami Khan, highlighting the valour of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) officers during the 1965 war with India.
The resurfaced black-and-white footage, originally filmed during the conflict, features Arshad Sami Khan and other PAF officers giving interviews about their combat experiences.
In the video, the officers describe how they downed multiple Indian MiG fighter jets, stating they “dropped like small birds.” They claimed that between nine and ten enemy aircraft were destroyed during air engagements, and firmly denied Indian reports of downing any Pakistani planes.
The clip has since gone viral across Pakistan, especially in light of the country’s recent military exchange with India.
As tensions escalated following India’s Operation Sindoor, which included missile strikes in Pakistan, Islamabad responded by shooting down six Indian aircraft and drones, including Rafale jets.
The resurfacing of the 1965 footage has been interpreted by many on social media as a symbolic continuation of Pakistan’s military legacy, with users celebrating the PAF’s air superiority both in the past and present.
The video also gained traction in the context of a controversy surrounding Azaan’s father, Adnan Sami, a renowned singer who was born in the UK to a Pakistani father and Indian mother.
Adnan Sami, who became an Indian citizen in 2016, recently came under fire for supporting India’s Operation Sindoor. He posted slogans praising the Indian Army, including the phrase “Sindoor se tandoor tak,” which drew widespread criticism from Pakistanis online.
