Pakistan has claimed that it has shot down two aircraft of the Indian Air Force and captured a pilot. Pakistan has released a video claiming that it is of an Indian pilot named Abhinandan.
In the video shared by Pakistan, a person wearing a flight suit is heard saying that he is Wing Commander Abhinandan. He is blindfolded and gives out his service number. He then asks if he is in the custody of the Pakistan military. Later, he refuses to answer further questions.
The video was relased after a press conference held by spokesperson of the Pakistan armed forces Major General Asif Ghafoor.
No confirmation has been issued by the Indian Air Force on this so far.
In the press conference, Maj Gen Ghafoor said Pakistan had no option than to give a reply to the airstrikes by the Indian Air Force in Balakote on Tuesday (February 26).
Major General Asif Ghafoor claimed that Pakistan Air Force shot down two Indian Air Force planes today morning. He said one of the planes fell in Pakistani territory while the other fell in the Indian side. Ghafoor said that two pilots were taken into custody.
However, hours later, Ghafoor, changed his statement, saying in a late-evening tweet that there was “only one pilot under Pakistan Army’s custody”.
At the afternoon press conferrence, Ghafoor said the intentions behind the attacks carried out by the Pakistan Air Force was “not to escalate tensions” but to tell “India that we have the capability” to retaliate.
“Pakistan armed forces have the capability and resolve to defend its interest. But we are a responsible nation and want peace. This morning we decided that we will not attack any military targets. We decided that no human life should be endangered in our strikes,” Ghafoor said.
Pakistan said it selected six targets for today’s strike. Ghafoor said: “We decided that we will not attack any military targets. We decided that no human life should be endangered in the strikes. We did not want to give the impression that we are an irresponsible nation. The intention was to tell we can retaliate, but we won’t go to war at the cost of the region’s peace.”
Pakistan said it does not wish to escalate tensions with India and is not interested in going to a war. “Our action was an act of self-defence,” Pakistan said.
