Islamabad: The Pakistan Army alleged Tuesday that the Indian Air Force violated the Line of Control (LoC) in the Muzafarabad sector.
“Indian aircraft intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage,” Major General Asif Ghafoor, director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the army, said in a tweet.
“Indian Air Force violated Line of Control Pakistan. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircraft gone back,” he tweeted.
Hours later, the ISPR said Indian aircrafts’ ‘intrusion’ across the LOC in Muzafarabad Sector was within 3-4 miles in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“Under forced hasty withdrawal aircraft released payload which had free fall in open area. No infrastructure got hit, no casualties. Technical details and other important information to follow,” it said.
The allegation came amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the February 14 suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e Mohammad terror group that killed over 40 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The Indian government is yet to respond to the development but multiple reports here have claimed that the IAF carried out the strike at a terror camp well beyond the LoC.
Flight tracking websites spotted heightened activities along the border with an IAF early warning plane ‘Emb 145’ and mid-air refueller circling in the area early in the morning. Reports claimed that the IAF strike was carried out by a group of Mirage 2000 fighters at around 3.30am
The strike in Balakot is significant as the location is beyond Pakistan Administered Kashmir, indicating it was not merely an LoC violation but a punitive action inside Pakistani territory.
Agencies