Pakistan stuns India, downs 2 IAF jets

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Wednesday shot down two Indian jet aircraft inside territory of Azad Kashmir and successfully hit six targets in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) which left the Indian leadership perturbed.

Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed the nation over TV immediately after conspicuously significant meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) that discussed Pakistan’s response to Indian aggression and it was chaired by him. He made the offer of talks to defuse the current situation and resolve all issues peacefully.

“We are ready to talk. Let better sense prevail. Let’s think sensibly. I ask India; with our weapons capability on both sides, can we afford a miscalculation? If this escalation continues, matters will neither be in my control nor Modi’s. The hurt that has been caused due to the Pulwama attack, we want to come to the table and talk about terrorism that impacts us both,” the prime minister said in a composed tone. Imran Khan said taking the nation into confidence was essential under the current circumstances. “I had a hunch that India would escalate, and that is why in my earlier speech I said that if India continues on this path, we will retaliate. We waited, and today we took action. It was our plan to not cause any collateral damage, and not to cause any casualties,” the premier emphasised.

Imran Khan said Islamabad was well aware of the impact of violence. “We know how the families of those killed in Pulwama must have felt. We have been the victims of war for decades. I have been to hospitals visiting survivors of bomb attacks, the ones who are left behind,” he said.

“We understand that losing dear ones causes grief. We faced more than 70,000 casualties during the last decade and we can understand the feelings of bereaved families. That is why I offered investigation into the incident,” Imran Khan said.

He said it is not in our interest that anyone uses our soil for terrorism or foreign land is used against us. He regretted the offer was not reciprocated by India. The prime minister said he feared India will act due to its election compulsions.

Elaborating on the decision to target Indian forces, Imran Khan said the action was meant to prove Pakistan’s capability to protect its sovereignty. “We did not retaliate in haste because we did not know the extent of damage on our side immediately,” he said, adding, “Today's action was taken to show that we have the capability and resolve to respond to any external aggression. But we carried out the action avoiding collateral damage and civilian casualties. Two Indian MiGs crossed Pakistan’s borders and we shot them down. I also want to state that the pilot is with us.”

Imran Khan said when India stuck Tuesday morning, he and the army chief spoke. “We did not respond in haste. We did not have a complete assessment of the damage caused and it would have been irresponsible on our part as it may have resulted in casualties on their side. Once we assessed the damage caused, we were ready to take action,” the premier said.

Imran Khan reminded the unpredictable nature of war and how easily a confrontation could spiral out of control.

“All major wars have been a miscalculation. When they started, no one realised where they were headed. World War I was supposed to end in six months but it went on for six years. Similarly, at the time of launching the war on terror, the United States did not know it would remain in Afghanistan for 17 years,” Imran said.

He said it is easy to start a war but very difficult to conclude it. "It is important where we go from here. From here, it is imperative that we use our heads and act with wisdom," he continued.

The prime minister repeated an invitation of dialogue to India. “I once again invite you to the dialogue table. We were and we are prepared for dialogue on terrorism.” he said.

Meanwhile, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor told a news briefing that two aircraft of Indian Air Force ((IAF) were challenged and shot down by the PAF jet fighters on violating the Line of Control (LoC).

"Wreckage of one aircraft was found inside Azad Kashmir while the wreckage of other aircraft fell in the IHK," the DG ISPR said.

He said there were also reports of hitting down another Indian aircraft which fell in their territory but that reports could not be confirmed.

The military spokesman at the same time categorically rejected claims of Indian authorities of hitting down the PAF's F-16 aircraft. "No F-16 aircraft was part any activity which took place near the LoC on Wednesday,” he said.

Asif Ghafoor said the PAF also undertook six air to surface strikes in Bhimber Gali, Narian and KG Peak areas of IHK from airspace of AJK.

"Pakistan was left with no option but to respond to Indian aircraft's violation of LoC, but it was kept in view that response is given by a responsible state," he said.

He informed media persons that the PAF aircraft on Wednesday from their position in the AJK airspace locked six targets across the LoC in IHK including administrative setup, military posts and supply depot, but undertook strikes in open places close to six targets just to avoid collateral damage and loss of human lives. He said the PAF demonstrated capability of hitting any target of their choice. "It was not retaliation in true sense, but it was demonstration of capability of self-defence and will to retaliation without escalating the situation.

He said it was decided that no military target would be hit and there should also be no collateral damage or loss of human lives while engaging six targets. "If they say that they had four strikes, we responded with six strikes," Asif Ghafoor maintained, adding that six targets were selected, but strikes were taken at close safe areas as demonstration of policy of self-defence with no aggressive designs.

Asif Ghafoor said that after the PAF jets had struck ground targets, the Indian aircraft approached and as soon as they crossed the LoC, they were taken on and shot down. The DG ISPR said that despite having all the capability to retaliate, the message from Pakistan is peace.

"We always send message of peace to India as war is failure of policies which India should also understand," he said.

He said the international community also have a responsibility that they should come forward and see that the current environment between Pakistan and India is threat to peace and development in the region and beyond.

The DG ISPR said the state, government, armed forces and people of Pakistan have always conveyed a message of peace to India. He said the road to peace goes through dialogue. He said both countries have the capability and capacity, but war is the failure of policy which India needs to understand. “We do not want to escalate and follow a path which leads to peace. The people of both countries and region at large have a right to live and live in peace. War is not the solution to problems. India should think with a cool head on this offer from Pakistan," he said.

Asif Ghafoor said Wednesday’s action was in self-defence.

"We do not want to claim any victory. There are no victors in war. I request media to report objectively, responsibly, to go towards peace. Our message is for peace," he further said. "Starting a war is easy, but where it ends, nobody knows," he said.

To a question, he said the PAF's action was demonstration of capability and will but did not want to escalate the situation. "Our response was under compulsion for self-defence," he said.

Later, in a tweet, the DG ISPR said there was only one Indian pilot namely Wing Commander Abhi Nandan in custody of the Pakistan Army and he was being treated as per norms of military ethics.

News desk adds: On a day when tensions between Pakistan and India escalated, more than 20 opposition parties led by the Congress slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for “politicising the sacrifices" made by the Indian armed forces and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately convene an all-party meeting to discuss the security situation.

The demand surfaced in a meeting to discuss the security situation, following the Pulwama terror attacks earlier this month. It marked the first time the opposition parties held a joint meeting and criticised the ruling party over its handling of the security situation, Indian media reported.

A strongly worded joint statement issued by the opposition parties highlighted two key criticisms: the BJP for “blatantly politicising" the situation and Modi for failing to convene an all-party meet over the issue.

“The meeting of 21 parties expressed their deep anguish over the blatant politicisation of the sacrifices made by our armed forces by leaders of the ruling party," said the joint statement released after the meeting.

“National security must transcend narrow political considerations. The leaders observed that the prime minister has, regrettably, not convened an all-party meeting as per the established practice in our democracy," it added.

“The opposition parties should understand that this is not the time to play politics for electoral benefits. The timing of the meeting and criticism of the government is only for political gains," a senior BJP leader said requesting anonymity while responding to the joint statement.

The criticism by the opposition parties at this juncture is significant as internal security and terrorism become key political issues ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. According to a senior Election Commission (EC) official, the poll watchdog is keeping a close watch on the security situation.