The Great Escape

A daughter’s recreation of her father’s courage and dare-devilry. An extract

The mission was ‘go-go’, but Jack’s military training in ops told him that a decoy plan would have to be put into place. An idea was already brewing in his mind.

The Indian High Commission sent a courier with confidential mail to the Ministry of External Affairs every week. The mail was secured in a briefcase, cuffed to the wrist of the courier. They were accompanied by two security personnel to the airport and received also by two security personnel when they arrived in India. The keys for the cuff were with the Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi and the Secretary to the Minister in India.

This flight could be the ideal camouflage for Frank’s escape plan.

He spoke to Amar, who listened to the plan with keen attention.

“The Swissair flight comes in tomorrow morning,’ said Jack.

‘We can make a provisional reservation for Frank so that his name pops up on the passenger manifest. The Pakistani agencies will be tipped off by the Airline. When they rush to apprehend him at the airport, they will find that only our courier guy has shown up for the flight. Meanwhile, Frank will have left Karachi far behind.’

‘Superb, Jack! Said Amar. ‘I’ll have the reservations done before the airline office closes for the day. I’ll also speak to Puri; he’s taking the courier to Delhi this week.’

It was past 10.00 p.m. All the planning and arranging had left them exhausted. It was decided that Frank would spend the night at the High Commission, and the others would go home. As the High Commissioner left, Jack made eye contact with Prabhjyot, who was driving the car and gave him a thumbs-up, signaling that h