The military’s media wing on Monday said that it was meaningless to question whether Pakistan used JF-17 Thunder aircraft or US-built F-16 jets to shoot down two Indian Air Force (IAF) warplanes that violated Pakistani airspace on February 27, saying Pakistan has the right to use any of its ability for its defence.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in its statement sought to address repeated claims by the Indian government and media that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had used F-16 jets in the air battle with Indian jets and that a Pakistani F-16 jet was shot down by Indian pilots.
“The February 27 incident has become a part of history,” the ISPR statement said, explaining that PAF JF-17 Thunders jets had carried out strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) that day from inside the Pakistani airspace, in response to the Indian strikes in Balakot.
Later, when two Indian jets violated the LoC after the Pakistani strikes, they were shot down by the PAF.
“Whether these two Indian jets were targeted by F-16 [jet] or JF-17… this question is meaningless,” the ISPR said.
“When the Indian planes crossed [the LoC] all of PAF’s airplanes including F-16s were airborne,” the statement further said, recalling that the PAF had shot down both the Indian jets “in its defence”.
The military’s media wing emphasised that India could “pick any jet of its choice according to its wishes” but that would not change the end result of the dogfight that took place in February.
“Even if F-16 [jet] was used [by Pakistan], two Indian jets were targeted.
“Pakistan reserves the right to use its every capability for its defence however it wishes,” the ISPR concluded.
