Pakistan hits back, shoots down two Indian jets

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan military has confirmed that two Indian fighter jets were shot down today in response to Indian aggression. RAWALPINDI: Pakistan military has confirmed that two Indian fighter jets were shot down today in response to Indian aggression. DG ISPR said: “In response to PAF strikes this morning as released by MoFA, IAF crossed LOC. PAF shot down two Indian aircrafts inside Pakistani airspace. One of the aircraft fell inside AJ&K while other fell inside IOK. One Indian pilot arrested by troops on ground while two in the area.”The military spokesperson added that one Indian pilot was arrested by the Pakistani troops on ground.Indian media has earlier reported that two pilots were killed when a Mig 21 plane crashed in Occupied Kashmir's Budgam District.The surprise move came a day after Indian jets intruded into Pakistani airspace and claimed to have attacked a militant camp.On Tuesday, General Asif Ghafoor while rubbishing the claims of Indians that their aircraft stayed in Pakistan’s airspace for 21 minutes and killed 350 terrorists asked the adversary to get ready for response.“The formation of the Indian aircraft crossed the LoC by four to five nautical miles which was timely and effectively challenged and repulsed by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF),” he said, adding after dropping the payload of four bombs in a haste, they went back under pressure from the PAF aircraft. “It is time for India to get response for which time place will be chosen by us and the response may be in any domain,” Major General Asif Ghafoor said at a news briefing on Tuesday, maintaining that the response would come and it would come differently.He pointed out that the prime minister had also called the meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA), while there will also be a joint sitting of the Parliament. The DG ISPR said the response from Pakistan would come at the time and place of Pakistan's choosing where the civil and military leadership decide it. He said the prime minister during meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) asked the 207 million people and armed forces to get ready for any eventuality. “You also saw response of the political leaders who are one at this juncture,” he said.The DG ISPR, Major General Asif Ghafoor, said the Indian air force started their intrusion at the Pakistani airspace on three fronts. He said one of the Combat Air Patrol (CAP) was in the air when the first visibility of an Indian formation came on radar while approaching towards the Lahore-Sialkot border. “Our CAP approached and challenged them and they returned seven to eight nautical miles within their borders and did not cross into our territory,” he said. “The second Indian formation was spotted at Okara-Bahawalpur sector, but they also did not dare to cross into Pakistan when another Pakistani CAP was sent to that side as standard operation procedure (SOP),” the DG ISPR said. He said the third CAP picked a relatively heavier formation at Muzaffarabad near Keran valley. “They had crossed the LoC by four to five nautical miles when we challenged them. They had crossed the LoC for four minutes before the PAF challenged them,” he said. “Had they struck any of the military positions, there would have been fight. Had they struck us, there would have been causalities of the uniformed personnel,” he said.The Army spokesman said the Indian forces wanted to target the civilian population so they could make propaganda that they have targeted terrorist base camps to benefit their warmongering. Asif Ghafoor said the Indian forces released their payload of four bombs which dropped miles away near Jabba, Balakot, and left the area immediately. He said the Indians were claiming that they have killed 350 terrorists. “Not even a single brick or debris is present there. They are claiming 350 deaths. Had there been even 10 casualties, there would have been blood, funeral prayers and injuries," Asif Ghafoor said. He said the spot was open for everybody and anybody, defence attachés, observers of the United Nations and ambassadors. “Even the civilian and military representatives from India are invited to come to the spot from authorised entry points, see it for yourself and go back and tell your prime minister,” he said."I said three things: You will never be able to surprise us and we have not been surprised. We were ready, we responded, we denied. I said we will retain the escalation ladder. We have that initiative in our hand," he said. "I am saying that we will surprise you. Wait for that surprise. Our response will be different. See it for yourself. The response will come, and response will come differently," he said.