Pakistan Air Force ready to defend motherland against any threat: Air Chief Mujahid Anwar

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Air Force on Thursday conducted a ceremony at the Air Headquarter to commemorate the first anniversary of the Feb 27 ‘Operation Swift Retort’, ARY News reported.

On Feb 27, last year, the PAF carried out Operation Swift Retort and shot down two Indian Air Force fighter aircraft and dropped bombs within the compounds of Indian military facilities in occupied Kashmir as a warning to the country’s belligerent neighbour.

Addressing the ceremony, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan said that Pakistan Air Force is ready and resolute in defending the motherland against any misadventure.

“PAF is ready to defend the motherland and fully prepared to respond to any aggression. We will not compromise on sovereignty or territorial integrity of Pakistan,” he added.

The Air chief said that Pakistan will always stand with Kashmiris and will continue the moral, diplomatic support. He also paid tribute to Pakistani media for successfully fighting the Indian propaganda against Pakistan.

The chief of air staff also witnessed a guard of honour and a flypast at the ceremony, which was also attended by various dignitaries.

Surprise Day

February 27, 2019, is a memorable day for Pakistan as Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shattered Indian dream of invincibility and military supremacy by shooting down two Indian aircraft and above all capturing an IAF pilot.

Indian fighter jets crossed the Line of Control in the last week of February and the country’s military claimed to have conducted a “surgical strike” in Balakot area in Pakistan.

New Delhi also claimed to destroy a terrorist camp with 300-350 casualties in the attack. Pakistan denied the claim, saying neither was there any camp nor any casualty.

Independent reports, including high resolution satellite images reviewed by Reuters, also contradicted the Indian claims.

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets on the other day crossed the LoC in a tit-for-tat move to Indian territory, and in a dogfight an Indian MiG-21 was shot down on the Pakistani side of the border.

After striking down the Indian fighter jet, Pakistan arrested the pilot, who ejected himself after being hit in the airspace of Pakistan in Azad Jammu and Kashmir — something that came as an unexpected setback for India exposing the country’s claims of invincibility and supremacy in the military power.

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in a recent exhibition of the parts of the Indian MiG-21 warplane shot down by the PAF on February 27 last year also shown the four missiles, which could not be fired by the pilot during the air clash on the fateful day.

Prime Minister Imran Khan after the standoff with India, announced to return the Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman in a goodwill gesture.