UPDATES WITH MORE PAKISTAN ARMY’S QUOTES
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) - 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.
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 effected during our action, we shot the target in open place," the army spokesman said.
He 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," the army spokesman 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 F-16
Meanwhile, Indian Today, a broadcaster, claimed in a report that Indian forces have shot down a Pakistani F-16 that “violated Indian airspace”.
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 "preemptive action" on the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camp inside Pakistan.
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.
“We have no intention of escalation, but are fully prepared to do so if forced into that paradigm,” it added.
The statement explained that Pakistan undertook the action with “clear warning and in broad daylight.”
"For the last few years, India has been trying to establish what they call “a new normal” a thinly veiled term for doing acts of aggression at whatever pretext they wish on a given day," it said.
“If India is striking at so called terrorist backers without a shred of evidence, we also retain reciprocal rights to retaliate against elements that enjoy Indian patronage while carrying out acts of terror in Pakistan,” the Foreign Ministry warned.
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.