Karachi:
The reports of the Indian media about demolishing an F-16 combat plane of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) were “a shameless lie and false news,” security sources said Thursday, which qualify such reports a demonstration of the confusion and mental paralysis of Indian decision makers after the loss of dozens of drones in Pakistan.
According to the sources, India had been disoriented more and more after the failure of her recent Harop drones incursions. Pakistan’s armed forces, they said, were fully prepared to counteract hostile designs and remained attentive to the dire intentions of India.
“In a state of panic,” said a security source, “India is now trying to justify the possible future aggression against Pakistan by manufacturing stories of attacks in Rajasthan, Pathankot and Indian illegally Jammu and Kashmir [IIOJK]”
The observers observe a surprising similarity between the current misinformation campaign and the false narrative of India after the 2019 aerial skirmish during the replica of the Swift operation. At that time, Pakistan knocked down two Indian combat planes in response to Indian air attacks in Balakot.
India, however, said that one of his pilots, the Ala Abhinandan Varthaman commander, who was captured after expelling his Downed Mig-21, had managed to tear down an F-16 Pakistani before his own plane was demolished. Pakistan denied the F-16 claim.
Later that year, Foreign Policy magazine cited US defense officials, who had represented all Pakistani F-16 and found no missing, contradicting India’s statement. After the report, the then military spokesman declared: “India’s statements about the attack and its consequences are false. It is time for India to tell him the truth about the loss of his second plane knocked down by Pakistan.”
Despite the lack of independent verification, the then president of India, Ram Nath Kovind, granted the commander of Ala Abhinandan el Vir Chakra, the third military honor of the highest India in times of war, for ‘demolishing’ an F-16 Pakistani. Pakistan maintains his position that two Indian planes were shot down in 2019, and that PAF F-16 was not lost in the exchange.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically rejected the “unfounded and irresponsible accusations propagated by the Indian media” of Pakistan who launched attacks against Pathankot, Jaisalmer and Srinagar, saying that these statements were completely unfounded, politically motivated and a reckless propaganda.
The repeated pattern of leveling accusations against Pakistan without any credible investigation reflects a deliberate strategy to manufacture a pretext for aggression and to further destabilize the region, “said the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Thursday night.
“Such actions not only endanger regional peace, but also reveal a disturbing will to exploit wrong information for political and military purposes. We urge the international community to take note of this dangerous behavior and advise India towards restriction and responsibility,” he continued.
“Any escalation based on false claims will be fulfilled with full resolution and determination to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Pakistan remains attentive and firmly committed to peace, but do not dissuade for attempts to provoke, intimidate or address and reserve the right to the laws of aggressions. These allegations are rejected in the strong terms.
