Operation Swift Retort: PM Imran says believes in dialogue, diplomacy

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that he believed in dialogue and diplomacy but it should not be taken as a sign of weakness in his message on the third anniversary of Operation Swift Retort when armed forces responded to India in a befitting manner at the Line of Control (LoC), ARY NEWS reported.

In a message on the third anniversary of Operation Swift Retort from his Twitter handle, PM Imran said that he has always believed in conflict resolution through dialogue and diplomacy.

He however said that it should never be taken as a sign of weakness. “As we showed India on 27 Feb 2019, when it chose to attack us, our armed forces backed by the nation will respond to [military] aggression and prevail at all levels.”

He said that they are resolute and unwavering in their commitment to the security of their country and nation.

We are resolute & unwavering in our commitment to the security of our country and our nation.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 27, 2022

Operation Swift Retort

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.