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India shoots down Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 that violated Indian air space: Indo-Pak Tensions 2019

Indo-Pak tension 2019

The recent killing of more than 40 Indian brave jawans of the CRPF in Jammu and Kashmir by a suicide bomber belonging to the Pakistan based terrorist Organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Kashmir’s ‘Pulwama district’ has put Pakistan and India into another confrontation, and the government of India is firmly and Resolutely committed to taking all nacessory measures to fight the ‘menace of terrorism’ or act against terrorism.

Read Also, IAF air strike in Pakistan: Pakistan claims IAF violates LoC

In retaliation, an intelligence led professional oppression by IAF on February 26, India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot, Muzafarrabad and Chakoti etc.

In the wake of the pulwama terror attack, After a recent and powerful IAF strike ( February 26) on Pakistan Based terrorist Organization JeM; India again retaliated on February 27, “Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 that violated Indian air space shot down in Indian retaliatory fire 3KM within Pakistan territory in Lam valley, Nowshera sector today”. Further, At the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) briefing, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar argued that Pakistan is claiming that the missing IAF pilot is in its custody, but India is ascertaining facts at the moment.

Read Also, Withdrawal of MFN status may hit agri trade with Pakistan

During the MEA and IAF joint media briefing : In this press briefing, In an aerial engagement, a Pakistan aircraft was shot down by IAF jet today. We unfortunately lost one MiG 21 in this engagement and a pilot is missing since. And due to our high state of awareness, Pakistan’s attempts were foiled. Pakistan responded to India’s counter-terrorism action this morning by using its Air Force to target military installations on the Indian side, MEA Asserted.

Read Also, RIC: Sushma highlights JeM’s role in Pulwama attack

Read Also, Australia asks Pakistan to take urgent and meaningful action against terrorist groups

Flight operations to north Indian airports resume ‘as of now’, Pak airspace remains closed and international flights being diverted: DGCA.

The ANI news agency reported that a parachute was seen as Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 was going down, condition of the pilot is unknown.

Top security and intelligence officials huddled into a meet at the prime minister’s office in the wake of Pakistan Air Force jets violating the Indian airspace on February 27. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, senior officials of the Indian Navy, Army and the Air Force and other security officials were holding a meeting to discuss the current security situation. And top defence and security officials briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the latest developments, including aerial confrontation in which one Pakistani jet and an IAF MiG-21 were shot down.

Read Also, IAF hits JeM’s biggest camp in Pakistan: India

Meanwhile, Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday referred to the 2011 United State operation in Pakistan to eliminate Osama bin Laden and suggested India can also do it. Jaitly ‘s remarks at an event came a day after the Indian Air Force pounded terror camps in Pakistan. Referring to the US operation in Abbotabad,  he asserted, “Cannot we do it? This used to be only an imagination, a wish. There was frustration and disappointment. It is possible today.”

Read Also, IAF pushes back Pakistani jets, downs PAF F-16

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha on Wednesday said his ministry was “strictly” following the “guidelines and instructions” of the Indian Air Force. Services at nine airports, including Srinagar, Jammu and Leh, in north India were temporarily suspended in view of hightened tensions between India and Pakistan.  The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) later in the day said the services at the nine airports have resumed “as of now”.

On the one hand, The Government of Nepal is concerned about the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the terrorist attack on security convoy in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14, 2019″. Whereas on the other hand, Russia urges India and Pakistan to show restraint, “We are extremely concerned about the news coming in, we are very closely monitoring the situation and, of course, we urge all parties to show restraint,” stated a Kremlin spokesperson. However, Authorities have ordered temporary closure of educational institutions in a 5 km radius along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts. Entire air space north of Delhi vacated, quoting official sources.

Read Also, Sushma raises Pulwama attack at RIC

Previously, United Nation chief Antonio Guterres has argued it is essential that there must be accountability under international law and the perpetrators of terrorist acts be brought swiftly to justice, as he reiterated his strong condemnation of the Pulwama terror strike by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

With the growing hysteria it is easy to succumb to hate propaganda & fake news. We request everyone to show restraint in reacting & sharing any news until we have official information from the Indian govt, the Congress asserted. Congress Party tweets: We’re saddened by the news that one of our IAF pilots is missing in action, we urge the Govt to bring him back safely.

Read Also, US lawmaker supports India’s stand on Pakistan after Pulwama attack

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asserted that, “If a war takes place, it will not be in my or Narendra Modi’s control. If you want any kind of talks on terrorism, we are ready. Better sense must prevail. We should sit down & talk”. Imran Khan says that Islamabad is ready to cooperate with India over Pulwama attack. He says we need to use “wisdom” and sense to resolve dispute with India: Reuters. Also, Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah (on the right) arrives at South Block after being summoned by Ministry of External Affairs.

Significantly, Joint Communique of 16th Meeting of Foreign Ministers of India, Russia & China (RIC): The Ministers strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms & manifestations. Thus, China’s foreign ministry has reiterated its call for India and Pakistan to exercise restraint. While Bahrain’s Gulf Air says all flights to and from Pakistan suspended with immediate effect due to the closure of Pakistani airspace, reported at Reuters.

Also, Indian Railways has issued a security alert across its network in view of the escalating tension with Pakistan, a senior official of the Railway Protection Force said Wednesday. “We have issued an alert to all General Managers of zones in view of the prevailing security scenario. All trains to the mainland and valley in Jammu and Kashmir have additional security personnel on board. We have also identified specific targets related to railways and have beefed up security there,” RPF DG, Arun Kumar asserted.

IAF pilots arrested. One injured pilot shifted to hospital, other one is safe, says Pakistan army spokesman: PTI

The Army and BSF have been put on the highest degree of alertness along the border after air space violations by the neighbouring country and the night-long heavy firing and shelling by Pakistani troops on forward and civilians areas across the LoC which stopped on Wednesday, TOI reported.

MFN status granted to Pakistan stands withdrawn.

High alert at Delhi and Punjab airport. Flight operations have been tentatively suspended at Amritsar airport, and shortly resumed. Pakistan also stops its domestic and international flight operations from Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Islamabad airports today.

Read Also, Indian fighter jet crashes in J&K

IAF also pushed back Pakistan aircraft, multiple reports suggested. India has activated its Air Defence System and its radars are on high vigil to thwart any aggression from Pakistan. The situation between India and Pakistan continues to be tense as world community as appealed to exercise “restrain”.

India also decided to stop its share of water from the three eastern rivers such as the Beas, Ravi and Sutlej – to Pakistan.

On February 26, In a powerful response to Pakistan over their failure to control terrorism on home-soil, India bombed and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) biggest training camp in Balakot, Muzafarrabad and Chakoti in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, nearly 80-km from the Line of Control (LoC). Despite all of this, Indian Air Force has put on high alert all air defence systems along the international border and LoC to respond to any possible action by Pakistan Air Force.

In above oppression, a very large number of JeM terrorist and their trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated. This facility at Balakot was headed by MAULANA YOUSUF AZHAR, the brother – in – law of Masood Azhar, chief of JeM.

Despite all of this, India’s foreign policy on Pakistan and ‘act against terrorism’ have always been greatly influenced by the political ideology of the party in power. Latest transformation in Indian  Diplomacy – foreign policy has got a new momentum in the Administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, It signifies the highest stage of ‘Political will’ with a ‘Hard Diplomacy’. At diplomatic level, India has not only withdrawn Most Favored Nation Status (MFN) from Pakistan to IAF air strike, popularly known as a ‘surgical strike 2’ on act against terrorism, but India also announced that it will take important steps to completely isolate Pakistan internationally and it has been seen as a Paradigm shift in India’s Foreign Policy on “act against terrorism”.

Author: Trilok Singh, Founder and CEO at IASmind, India’s Journal, YD and the Seva A2Z. MA in Political Science, Kirori Mal College, University Of Delhi.

Indian fighter jet crashes in J&K

IAF pushes back Pakistani jets, downs PAF F-16