Pakistan claims shooting down 2 Indian fighter jets
India claims its forces shot down Pakistani jet, confirms it ‘lost’ one MiG 21 Bison aircraft
Indian security guards are seen at the crash site after an Indian Air Force plane crashed in Kashmir, India on February 27, 2019. ( Faisal Khan - Anadolu Agency )
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan
Pakistan army on Wednesday claimed that the country’s air force has shot down two Indian fighter jets that crossed into Pakistani territory.
"IAF [Indian Air Force] crossed LOC [Line of Control], PAF [Pakistan Air Force] shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace. One of the aircraft fell inside AJ&K while other fell inside IOK [Indian occupied Kashmir]," Pakistan army spokesman Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor said in a Twitter post, referring to the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
Later, speaking to reporters, Ghafoor said: "Two Indian pilots were arrested by troops on ground, one of them in injured condition and has been shifted to a military hospital," he added.
Indian Air Force jet crashes in Kashmir
KASHMIR, INDIA - FEBRUARY 27 : Indian security guards are seen at the crash site after an Indian Air Force plane crashed in Kashmir, India on February 27, 2019. ( Faisal Khan - Anadolu Agency )
Pakistan forces engaged with six targets at the LoC -- a de facto border that divides the disputed Kashmir Valley between the two countries -- and shot down the Indian aircraft when they crossed into Pakistani territory, he added.
"No human life was affected during our action, we shot the target in open place," the army spokesman said.
Ghafoor said the sole purpose of the action was to demonstrate “our right and show our capability and capacity.”
"We can do everything but do not want to escalate or go into the war," he said, adding: “No issue could resolve through war, dialogue is always the way to resolve issue and Pakistan is following that way.”
Responding to a question regarding today’s meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) and possible use of nuclear weapons, Ghafoor rejected the option, saying: "I have always said we must not talk about this, it’s insane to talk about this."
Claims of shooting down Pakistani jet
India confirmed it “lost” a MiG-21 Bison jet and that one of its pilot was missing.
“One Pakistan Air Force fighter aircraft was shot down by a MiG 21 Bison of the Indian Air Force […] In this engagement, we have unfortunately lost one MiG 21. The pilot is missing in action. Pakistan has claimed that he is in their custody. We are ascertaining the facts,” said Raveesh Kumar, spokesman for Indian External Affairs Ministry.
Pakistan has used its Air Force to target military installations on the Indian side. Due to our high state of readiness and alertness, Pakistan’s attempts were foiled successfully,” Kumar added.
The tension between the two nuclear neighbors has raised after Indian jets intruded into Pakistan's airspace on early Tuesday.
India had claimed that “several terrorists” were killed in a “preemptive action” on a camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a group that had been listed as terrorist organization by Islamabad in 2002.
The Pakistani civil and military officials have rejected the claim.
Earlier, in a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said that Pakistan Air Force undertook strikes across Line of Control from within Pakistani airspace.
"This was not a retaliation to continued Indian belligerence. Pakistan has taken strikes at non-military target, avoiding human loss and collateral damage," the statement said.
However, it said that they do not wish to go to that route and wish that India gives peace a chance and to resolve issues like a mature democratic nation.
* Shuriah Niazi in New Delhi contributed to this story.
