News Analysis |
Major General Asif Ghafoor, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has called out New Delhi’s malignant and falsified tirade, and urged that now, it is time for India to embrace the truth and break away from its false claims over the actual losses the Indian security forces have incurred, along with the second aircraft that the PAF shot down.
DG ISPR tweet came hours after the exclusive report of the eminent US magazine, Foreign Policy, revealed that two unnamed US defense officials have physically counted all the F-16 jets in PAF’s possession, and none of the aircraft is missing.
Foreign Policy noted that Pakistan had itself extended the invitation of the US Defense officials to physically count the F-16 planes in Pakistan’s possession.
The fact that the US defense officials have confirmed that all the F-16 jets in the Pakistan Air Force are accounted for is a significant blow, a horrendous embarrassment for New Delhi, as the BJP-led government has been touting claims of shooting down a Pakistan F-16 during a brief air battle over Kashmir valley on 29th February.
In a well-articulated tweet, DG ISPR noted that the Foreign Policy report on the physical count of F-16 jets in Pakistan’s custody has nullified all Indian claims of shooting down a PAF F-16 jet. He urged New Delhi to introspect over the heightened aggression and unchecked human rights violations conducted by the Indian army in the Indian-occupied Kashmir. DG ISPR noted that the region of South Asia needs peace to ensure progress and prosperity.
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DG ISPR, Major General Asif Ghafoor wrote, “Allah is praised, truth always prevails. Time for India to speak the truth about false claims & actual losses on their side, including the second aircraft shot down by Pakistan. India needs introspection especially over atrocities in IoK. The region needs peace, progress & prosperity.”
Allah be praised, truth always prevails. Time for India to speak truth about false claims & actual losses on their side including the second aircraft shot down by Pakistan. India needs introspection especially over atrocities in IOK. Region needs peace, progress & prosperity. https://t.co/5eCsQDSDYD
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) April 5, 2019
On 28th February, spokesperson of the Indian Air Force had stated during a press briefing, “In the aerial combat that ensued, one F-16 of PAF was shot down by an IAF MiG-21 Bison. The F-16 crashed and fell across the Line of Control in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.” It is important to note that the IAF had cited the same MiG-21 that was carrying Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, whose jet crashed in Pakistan after taking a hit from the PAF fighter jet, and was returned to New Delhi 60 hours after the air battle.
The fact that the US defense officials have confirmed that all the F-16 jets in the Pakistan Air Force are accounted for is a significant blow.
Foreign Policy noted that Pakistan had itself extended the invitation of the US Defense officials to physically count the F-16 planes in Pakistan’s possession, and it took several weeks because some of the jets were not available due to the ongoing border conflicts. The report quoted the US Defense official as saying that now that the count has been completed, all aircrafts “were present and accounted for”.
Read more: Pakistan used JF-17 Thunders not F-16s to down Indian jets: DG…
Earlier, India had failed to substantiate its claims of eliminating the “largest terror training camps” in the Balakot region of Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, which had been nullified after Pakistani media and international experts and analysts provided satellite imagery that revealed no infrastructural damages of casualties on the alleged terror campsites. Now, New Delhi has been served with another humiliating blow as the US is also endorsing Pakistan’s stance on Indian claims of downing a PAF F-16.
Mina Jahangir with additional input by News Desk.