Barry Bull
Donor
good idea , how about before a land invsion , the soviets launch 500 + sorties esp with aircraft of strategic aviation against targets in rawalpindi, and attack the pak army corps stationed in quetta and around peshawar
How well can PAF counter such attacks in 1985 ?
That basically invite the world to do a serious sanction against USSR which imported quite a lot of grain and exported petroleum to earn hard currencies. Also, the invasion of Afghanistan at least has the excuse of popping up a client state, not so in this scenario. With the USA and China cooperating in intelligence work in Xinjiang in OTL, Sino-US cooperation may expand into inciting unrest in Muslim Central Asia in such scenario. ISI certainly would try to do so.
Also, such an attack would means moving force from areas outside Central Asia as the Pakistan Army was much more competent and larger than the Soviet-dominated Afghan army. Such troops movement is likely to detected and alerted to Pakistan. China may increase troop presence at Sino-Soviet border as a counter-move.
As for air defence, PAK acquired F-16s in 1983 and these F-16s had engaged intruders from the North:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan_Air_Force#1979–1988_Soviet–Afghan_War
Between May 1986 and November 1988,[34] PAF F-16s have shot down at least eight intruders from Afghanistan. The first three of these (one Su-22, one probable Su-22, and one An-26) were shot down by two pilots from No. 9 Squadron. Pilots of No. 14 Squadron destroyed the remaining five intruders (two Su-22s, two MiG-23s, and one Su-25).[35] Most of these kills were by the AIM-9 Sidewinder, but at least one (a Su-22) was destroyed by cannon fire. Flight Lieutenant Khalid Mahmoud is credited with three of these kills. One F-16 was lost in these battles during an encounter between two F-16s and four Soviet Air Force MiG 23s on 29 April 1987. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Shahid Sikandar Khan, ejected safely.[36]