ISLAMABAD: Indian fighter jets patrolling over occupied Kashmir were forced to flee after the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) scrambled its jets, media reports stated on Wednesday.
National media als reported that the Indian callous attitude in the wakd of its false flag Pahalgam operation are adding to tensions between the two nuclear powers of South Asian countries.
India, without offering any evidence, has implied cross-border linkages of the attackers, while Pakistan’s political and military leadership have strongly denied any involvement. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a neutral probe into the incident.
The tensions between the arch-rivals have intensified in the past few days, with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif saying Pakistan had reinforced its forces and was ready for any incursion by India, while on the other side, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military “operational freedom” to act on the Pahalgam attack.
PTV News, citing security sources, said that four Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were spotted “patrolling” occupied Kashmir without crossing the Line of Control.
“Aircraft of the PAF immediately spotted the Indian fighter jets,” the report added.
“As a result of PAF’s diligent action, the Indian Rafale jets panicked and were forced to flee,” PTV News reported.
The government and the military have yet to provide details on the incident.
The development comes after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar earlier today said “credible intelligence” reports indicated that India was planning to conduct a military action against Pakistan in the “next 24 to 36 hours”.
In a televised statement issued shortly after 2am, Tarar said: “Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends to carry out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident.”
He said Pakistan vehemently rejected “Indian self-assumed hubristic role of judge, jury and executioner in the region” and it was completely “reckless”.
“Pakistan has been the victim of terrorism itself and truly nderstands the pain of this scourge,” the minister said, adding: “We have always condemned it in all its forms and manifestations anywhere in the world.”
Being a responsible state, Tarar noted, Pakistan “openheartedly offered a credible, transparent and independent investigation” by a neutral commission of experts to ascertain the truth.
“Unfortunately, rather than pursuing the path of reason, India has apparently decided to tread the dangerous path of irrationality and confrontation, which will have catastrophic consequences for the complete region and beyond,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, as concerns over a potential breakdown of peace grew, shares at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) faced a major fall in intraday trade today.
The April 22 attack killed 26 people, mostly tourists, and was one of the deadliest armed attacks in the disputed Himalayan region since 2000. Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front, said it “unequivocally” denied involvement in the attack, after an initial message that claimed responsibility.
According to IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Indian cyberattack attempts on the websites of some ministries have been foiled as well.
Read more: India May Launch Military Attack Against Pak In 24-36 hrs: Minister
