Pakistan could have shot down more Indian jets if PAF given free hand: Ishaq Dar
Pakistan
75 to 80 Indian jets conducted 24 strikes targeting 26 civilians
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar claimed that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had shot down five Indian aircraft during recent cross-border hostilities.
The number could have been three times higher had the Air Force been given a free hand, Dar added.
Speaking to reporters at Parliament House, Dar said that Pakistan had made a clear commitment not to initiate aggression. However, following what he termed “a malicious attempt by India,” a one-hour scuffle occurred involving 75 to 80 Indian jets.
“Our armed forces deserve congratulations from the entire nation,” he remarked while accusing India of a “serious violation” by targeting Pakistan’s water reservoirs — an act he said constituted a blatant breach of international norms. According to Deputy PM Dar, India conducted 24 strikes at six different sites.
He maintained that Pakistan had exercised restraint to demonstrate its status as a “responsible nation” despite what he described as cowardly Indian attacks, which resulted in the martyrdom of 26 Pakistani citizens and left 46 others injured.
More to read: Pakistan serves demarche on Indian diplomat over unprovoked strikes
“We continue to inform the international community about India’s unprovoked aggression,” he added, underscoring Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts to expose what it sees as New Delhi’s destabilising actions in the region.
