Terming the 1965 war as 'wrong', the then Pakistan Air Force chief Nur Khan has said that it was the result of attempts by Pakistani Army to push a large number of militants into Jammu and Kashmir [Images].

He accused former military ruler Ayub Khan and his generals of telling a 'big lie' to the nation saying India had provoked the war. Air Marshal (Retired) Khan's account of the war, published in the local daily Dawn on Tuesday, coincided with Pakistan's commemoration of the 'Defence Day' on the 40th annivarsary of the conflict.

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Khan said Pakistani Army suffered heavy losses in the war. "They (the generals) had planned the 'Operation Gibraltar' for self glory than the national interest.

"It was wrong war and they misled the nation with a big lie that India rather than Pakistan had provoked the war and that we were the victims of Indian aggression." He said General Ayub was told on the second day of the war by Army Chief Musa Khan that army had run out of ammunition.

"That was the extent of preparation of army. And the information had shocked Gen Ayub so much that it could have triggered his heart ailment which overtook him a couple of years later."

Khan said, "Rumours about an impending operation were rife but army had not shared plans with other forces."

More reports from Pakistan | The 1965 War, 40 Years On