I think it was the P-80 shooting star (or F-84)? I remember hearing a story from one of my relatives, about a businessman from Karachi or Hyderabad who wanted to build aircrafts (not just warplanes) in Pakistan. But PAF went with Supermarine Attackers. Then in 70s nationalisation effectively stopped him from doing anything about it.
Back then the gaps in technology between us and Europe/West weren't as wide as they are today (plus they were desperately in need of allies) ambitiousness could get you very far (Indians with the Marut, Argentinians with Pulquii and Egyptians with HA-300).
Yep, the Supermarine Attackers were a bummer, but even with the UK, the option to manufacture something decent in Pakistan was still there. However, no one within the PAF, Gov't, or private sector followed up.
Now, to their credit, there was an actual economic policy at play at that time and it was working. So, I think they might have avoided arms manufacturing on purpose. I imagine Govt of Pak economists thought it was an inherently inefficient exercise (which is 100% true). The focus was on building industrial competence, and we had investments going into designing and building jigs, shipbuilding, and even nuclear energy.
Finally, US aid was in full-swing. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an expectation to manufacture the F-5 (which the US commissioned as a low-cost replacement for its allies' F-86s). If not F-5, then maybe a vision to eventually design and build a fighter when the industrial capacity was in place.
Remember, the Pakistan of the 1960s was quite different: We had the fiscal resources of two countries (i.e., East and West Pakistan), we had a growing industry base, and growing foreign market access.
So, if there wasn't a cluster eff-up of a human involved, things should work out.
To our misfortune, we got a double hat-trick of cluster eff-ups... ZAB convincing everyone into the 1965 War, ZAB convincing Yahya Khan to clamp down on East Pak, Yahya Khan screwing up E. Pak, ZAB screwing up the economy, and so on.
