PAF Chief visits forward operating bases, praises air defence accomplishments

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan on Monday visited forward operating bases to review operational preparedness of the air troops, ARY News reported.

The air force chief met pilots, officials of air defence, engineering and security departments during the visit.

Mujahid Anwar Khan has praised successful air defence operations against the enemy where two fighter jets of Indian Air Force (IAF) had been shot down by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in bright daylight over violation of the Line of Control (LoC) on February 27.

He said, “We are bowing heads before the Allah Almighty seeking His blessing over meeting hopes of the nation. Sons of the soil are proud of performing duties for defence and sovereignty of the country.”

The air chief said that the difficult time has not ended yet.

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Commenting over operational preparedness, but the air force was completely ready to respond any genre of aggression from the enemy.

Tensions between Pakistan and India arise post-suicide attack on a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel on the Jammu Srinagar National Highway that killed more than 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and the attacker at Lethpora in the Pulwama district of India-Ocuupied Jammu and Kashmir on February 14 while responsibility of the attack was claimed by the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

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The escalation between both countries had heightened when the Indian war planes had violated Pakistan’s air space at the Line of Control (LoC) near Muzaffarabad in the wee hours of February 26, however they scrambled back following timely response from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

Later, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had successfully destroyed two aircraft of IAF inside Pakistani airspace on February 27 in a response of another violation of ceasefire line besides arresting an Indian pilot Pakistani troops which was later handed back to India as a peace gesture.