'Immaterial' whether F-16 or JF-17 downed Indian aircraft: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: Refuting the Indian claims of shooting down a Pakistani fighter jet, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reiterated on Monday that the Indian Air Force downed no Pakistani F-16 aircraft on February 27 during the clashes, ARY News reported. 

In a statement issued by the ISPR, it was said that the Pakistani JF-17 Thunder aircraft was used from “within Pakistan airspace” to carry out strikes across the Line of Control (LoC).

It further added that after such a strike was carried out, two Indian jets crossed the LoC which were shot down by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

The statement further read that it was ‘immaterial’ whether JF-17 or F-16 was used to shoot down the intruding Indian aircraft.

“Even if F-16s have been used as at that point in time complete PAF was airborne including F-16s, the fact remains that PAF shot down two Indian jets in self-defence”, reads the statement.

“India can assume any type of their choice even F-16, the statement said and added that Pakistan retained the right to use “anything and everything” in its legitimate self-defence.

Read More: DG ISPR refutes Indian claims of downing F-16; says Pakistan doesn’t want war

Earlier, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor had refuted all Indian claims of downing Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jet inside arch-rival’s boundary, adding “Pakistan wants peace and India needs to understand war is a failure of policy.”

Holding an important press conference in the wake of Pakistan’s robust response to Indian aggression on February 27 , the military spokesperson stressed that Pakistan’s reaction of shooting down Indian fighter jets and arresting their pilots, cannot be indicated as victory because “we only reacted in our defence and there are no victors in war.”