Thursday, February 28, 2019

پاک بھارت تنازع، وزیراعظم نے خود کو مدبر سیاستدان ثابت کیا

اسلام آباد (تبصرہ:… انصار عباسی) وزیراعظم عمران خان نے بھارتی جارحیت سے نمٹنے اور اس کا جواب دینے کے معاملے میں مدبر سیاست دان ہونے کا ثبوت دیا اور اس کا واحد مقصد ملک کی سالمیت پر سمجھوتا کیے بغیر امن کا حصول تھا۔ پوری قوم، مسلح افواج، سیاست دانوں اور میڈیا نے وزیراعظم کا ساتھ دیا اور اپنا اپنا کردار ایک متحد ٹیم کے رکن کی طرح نبھایا۔ لیکن سب سے درخشاں ستارہ پاک فضائیہ کے اسکوارڈن لیڈر حسن صدیقی ہیں جنہوں نے بھارتی طیاروں کو مار گرایا۔ اس بات کا سہرا وزیراعظم اور پاکستان کو حتیٰ کہ بھارت کے ایک ریٹائرڈ فوجی اور کالم نگار کو جاتا ہے جنہوں نے یہ ٹوئٹ دی ’’ ونگ کمانڈر ابھی نندن کی رہائی کے اعلان کے حوالے سے بھارتی وزارت دفاع کی بریفنگ سے پہلے ہی عمران خان نے ان کی رہائی کا اعلان کر دیا۔‘‘ اب وزارت دفاع کی بریفنگ ’’ملتوی‘‘ ہوگئی۔ اصل لڑائی میں چاہے جو ہو، پاکستان نے جامع انداز سے تاثرات کی جنگ جیت لی ہے۔ ہر موقع پر ان کی پی آر ہم سے آگے رہی۔ حیرانی کی بات تو یہ ہے کہ بھارتی
وزیراعظم نریندر مودی کی پاکستان کیخلاف چالبازی ناکام بنانے والے حتیٰ کہ دشمن ملک سے بھی تعریف وصول کرنے والے عمران خان ملک کی داخلی سیاست کے معاملے میں بھی مدبر سیاست دان ثابت ہو سکتے ہیں! اگر عمران خان مودی اور ان کی حکومت کی ہر طرح کی بے وقوفیوں کو نظرانداز کر سکتے ہیں، دشمن ملک کے گرفتار پائلٹ کو رہا کر سکتے ہیں اور دونوں ملکوں کے درمیان کے حصول کیلئے کشیدگی کم کرنے کی یکطرفہ کوششوں کے تحت بھارتی وزیراعظم سے بات کر سکتے ہیں تو وہ اپنے ملک میں سیاسی مخالفین کے ساتھ مل بیٹھ کر پاکستان کی ترقی اور خوشحالی کیلئے بات کیوں نہیں کر سکتے۔ ممکن ہے کہ وہ شہباز شریف، بلاول بھٹو، آصف زرداری اور دیگر کو پسند نہ کرتے ہوں لیکن یہ لوگ مودی سے بد تر نہیں، یہ لوگ دشمن ملک سے نہیں آئے بلکہ عوام کے ووٹوں سے منتخب ہو کر پارلیمنٹ میں فیصلہ کن نمائندگی حاصل کرکے آئے ہیں۔ امن کیلئے عمران خان مودی سے بات چیت اور ملاقات کیلئے تیار ہیں۔ لیکن ملک میں عمران خان ایسے موقع سے گریز کرتے ہیں اور حتیٰ الامکان کوشش کرتے ہیں کہ اپوزیشن رہنمائوں سے ہاتھ ملانے کی بھی نوبت نہ آئے۔ جب بھی وہ پارلیمنٹ آتے ہیں وہ چند ہی فٹ کے فاصلے پر بیٹھے اپوزیشن لیڈر سے آںکھ ملانا تک پسند نہیں کرتے۔ پارلیمنٹ نے جمعرات کو بھارت کیخلاف اتحاد کا اظہار کیا۔ وزیراعظم عمران خان سے لے کر اپوزیشن لیڈر اور دیگر پارلیمانی رہنمائوں تک؛ سب یک آواز ہوئے، لیکن اس موقع پر بھی وزیراعظم عمران خان نے اپوزیشن رہنمائوں کو نظرانداز کرنے کا معمول کا رویہ اختیار کیا۔ ایک پاکستانی کی حیثیت سے یہ دیکھ کر برا لگتا ہے جب فوج کی جانب سے تمام پارلیمانی رہنمائوں کو پارلیمنٹ میں بند کمرے کے اجلاس میں بریفنگ دی گئی اور وزیراعظم وہاں نہیں تھے۔ یہ ایک نا پختہ اور ایسے مدبر سیاست دان کا فیصلہ نہیں تھا جو مشکل حالات میں کرنا چاہئے۔ جو بات زیادہ پریشان کن اور ناقابل دفاع ہے وہ یہ ہے کہ وزیراعظم قومی اسمبلی کے پارلیمانی چیمبر میں موجود تھے لیکن اس کے باوجود انہوں نے بریفنگ میں شرکت نہیں کی حالانکہ اس کا خصوصی طور پر انتظام کیا گیا تھا۔ ایک ایسے شخص، جس نے کھلے دل کے ساتھ دشمن کا مقابلہ کیا، سیاسی مخالفین کے ساتھ معاملہ سازی سے گریز کر رہا ہے۔ اگر ملک کو کامیاب اور بہتر مستقبل کی طرف لیجانا ہے تو وزیراعظم کو ایسے اقدامات سے گریز کرنا ہوگا۔ ایسا لگتا ہے کہ اپوزیشن رہنمائوں کے ساتھ مصافحہ کرنے، ان کے ساتھ خوش گوار انداز سے بات چیت کرنے یا ان سے رابطہ کرنے کے معاملے میں وزیراعظم کی ہچکچاہٹ کی وجہ ان کی جانب سے برسوں سے مخالفین کا ذہن میں بنایا ہوا چہرا ہے جو انہوں نے اپنے چاہنے والوں کے ذہنوں پر بھی نقش کر دیا ہے۔ پاگل اور جنگجو بھارتی میڈیا کی طرح، وزیراعظم کے گرد بھی کچھ ایسے عقاب موجود ہیں جو انہیں کہتے ہوں گے کہ اپوزیشن کے ساتھ تعلقات قائم کرنے کو پی ٹی آئی کے چاہنے والے کرپشن پر سمجھوتا تصور کریں گے۔ وزیراعظم عمران خان کو کرپشن کے ایشو پر کوئی سمجھوتا کرنے کی ضرورت نہیں۔ لیکن اگر وہ سمجھتے ہیں یا ان کو اگر یہ یقین دہانی کرائی جا رہی ہے کہ نیب جو کچھ بھی کر رہا ہے وہ سب میرٹ کے مطابق ہو رہا ہے تو وہ غلطی کر رہے ہیں، اور اعلیٰ عدالتوں کے حالیہ چند فیصلوں سے اس بات کی تصدیق بھی ہوتی ہے۔ وزیراعظم نے خود نیب کے کام کرنے کے انداز پر عدم اطمینان کا اظہار کیا ہے، حکومت خود اعتراف کرتی ہے کہ بہتری کی ضرورت ہے۔ ایسا صرف پارلیمانی قانون سازی کے ذریعے اور اپوزیشن کے ساتھ مل بیٹھ کر کام کرنے سے ہی ممکن ہے۔ سب سے اہم بات یہ کہ میثاق معیشت کی اشد ضرورت ہے جسے اپوزیشن اور حکومتی ارکان کی پارلیمنٹ میں مکمل حمایت حاصل ہو تاکہ پائیدار معاشی ترقی کو یقینی بنایا جا سکے اور ملک کو کاروباری افراد اور سرمایہ کاروں کیلئے پرکشش جگہ بنایا جا سکے کیونکہ یہ لوگ ہر بدلتی حکومت یا بدلتے عہدیداروں کی وجہ سے پالیسیوں میں تبدیلی سے خوفزدہ رہتے ہیں۔ اسی طرح ملک کو احتساب، طرز حکمرانی اور ادارہ سازی کے حوالے سے بھی متفقہ میثاق کی ضرورت ہے۔ لیکن یہ سب اس وقت ممکن ہے جب عمران خان اپوزیشن سے بات کرنے کے معاملے میں اپنی ہچکچاہٹ پر قابو پا لیں۔ یہ ایک ایسی کمزوری ہے جس پر قابو پانا ضروری ہے۔ اگر عمران خان نے ایسا کر لیا تو وہ ملک کی ترقی اور خوشحالی کیلئے بہت کچھ حاصل کر سکتے ہیں
ISLAMABAD:   












Frantic diplomatic efforts involving a number of countries are underway to prevent any further escalation in the crisis between the nuclear-armed Pakistan and India, officials said on Thursday, as tensions continued to grip the South Asian region.

The United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK and European Union (EU) are involved in both overt and covert diplomacy to find a way out of the current impasse between the two countries.
Saudi Arabia, according to sources, emerged as a key player, which is believed to be mediating between Islamabad and New Delhi.
Riyadh is coordinating all diplomatic efforts with Washington, which has also opened its own channel of communications both with Islamabad and New Delhi.
Trump hints at de-escalation between India, Pakistan as US mediates
US President Donald Trump, who was in Vietnam for a summit with the North Korean leader, on Thursday acknowledged his country’s role in cooling down the tense situation between Pakistan and India.
President Donald Trump said the US was “involved in trying” to deescalate the tensions between Pakistan and India and stressed that he had had “reasonably attractive news from” both the countries.
At a press conference in Hanoi after a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump told reporters that he was hopeful of a resolution to the ongoing crisis. “We have some reasonably decent news… Hopefully that’s going to be coming to an end,” he said.
As part of the hectic diplomatic efforts, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al Jubeir will arrive in Pakistan today (Friday). This will be his second visit in less than two weeks as he earlier toured Pakistan along with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also confirmed that the top Saudi diplomat was coming to Pakistan. “Last night I spoke to the Saudi Foreign Minister and he expressed his desire to visit Pakistan,” Qureshi said after the cabinet meeting.
The Saudi deputy foreign minister is thought to be coming to Pakistan with a ‘special message’ from the Saudi Crown Prince on the current tensions between Pakistan and India.
He is expected to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Also on Thursday, UAE reached out to Pakistan and India for the de-escalation in tensions. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan telephoned both Prime Minister Imran Khan and Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi as part of efforts to defuse the crisis.
Pakistan to hand over captured IAF pilot to Indian authorities at Wagah Border
Sheikh Zayed stressed the need to deal wisely with the escalation between the two nuclear-armed countries, while giving priority to dialogue, according to a statement issued on the UAE ruler’s Twitter account.
According to a separate statement issued by Pakistan, Sheikh Zayed lauded PM Khan on his statesman-like speech in the joint session of parliament on Thursday. He also appreciated Khan’s willingness to resolve all issues in a peaceful manner.
Prime Minister Imran on Thursday reiterated his offer of talks to India while speaking at the joint session of Parliament. There were reports that because of efforts by influential players, Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Indian counterpart might speak on phone.
Imran tried to reach out to Modi on Wednesday evening as part of his efforts to reduce hostilities.
Social media floods with rumours amid Pakistan, India escalation
There were signs that the two countries might be pulling back from the brink, as India opened some channel of communication with Pakistan by sharing ‘dossier’ on the Pulwama attack.
Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal confirmed to the media that Pakistan received the India dossier. He said Pakistan would examine the Indian document and act on it if there were ‘actionable intelligence’ establishing any link of the Pulwama attack with Pakistan.
Qureshi said India could have shared the ‘dossier’ earlier instead of resorting to the “uncalled for aggression”.
The current standoff was triggered by February 14 suicide attack carried out by young local Kashmiri in Pulwama district of the Indian occupied Kashmir.
The attack was the worst in three decades in the disputed territory and India was quick to point a finger at Pakistan.
Tensions turned into a full-blown crisis when India on Tuesday sent fighter jets into Pakistan territory. It claimed to have carried out the air strikes targeting the alleged militant camps in Balakot.
Pakistan Army, however, took local and international media to the site to debunk the Indian claims. At the same time, Pakistan’s civil and military leadership vowed to respond to the Indian aggression at the time and place of its choosing.
And on Wednesday, Pakistan lived up to its words when it launched cross-LoC attacks. In the process, the Indian fighter jets once again violated Pakistan’s airspace. Pakistan engaged the Indian jets and shot down one of them. The Indian pilot was also captured, dealing a serious blow to the moral of Indian forces.
Pakistan would release the Indian pilot as ‘gesture of peace’ on Friday, a move that may help pave the way for de-escalation in tensions.
(With additional input from Agencies)

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قلندرز کی گلیڈی ایٹرز کو آٹھ وکٹوں سے شکست

 27 فروری 2019

اس پوسٹ کو شیئر کریں Email اس پوسٹ کو شیئر کریں فیس بک اس پوسٹ کو شیئر کریں ٹوئٹر اس پوسٹ کو شیئر کریں وٹس ایپ
Image copyrightPCB
بدھ کو دبئی میں کھیلے جانے والے پی ایس ایل کے میچ میں لاہور قلندرز نے کوئٹہ گلیڈی ایٹرز کو آٹھ وکٹوں سے شکست دے دی ہے۔
کوئٹہ نے لاہورکو جیت کے لیے 107 رنز کا ہدف دیا جو انھوں نے 17ویں اوور میں دو وکٹوں کے نقصان پر پورا کر لیا۔ قلندرز کے اے بی ڈیولیئرز نے 47 رنز کی ناقابل شکست اننگ کھیلی۔ حارث سہیل نے بھی 33 رنز بنائے۔
لاہور قلندرز کے گوہر علی 21 رنز بنا کر ہیری گرنی کی گیند پر بولڈ ہوئے تھے جبکہ اوپنر فخر زمان کو دو رنز پرمحمد حسنین نے آؤٹ کیا۔
لاہور قلندرز نے ٹاس جیت کے کوئٹہ کو پہلے بیٹنگ کی دعوت دی تھی۔ کوئٹہ کی پوری ٹیم 106 رنز ہی بنا پائی۔
Image copyrightPCB
کوئٹہ گلیڈی ایٹرز کی اننگز
گلیڈی ایٹرز کی جانب سے احسن علی 33 رنز بنا کر سب سے نمایاں رہے۔ جبکہ کپتان سرفراز نے 29، محمد نواز نے 12 اور شین واٹسن سات رنز بنا کر آؤٹ ہوئے۔
کوئٹہ کے آخری آؤٹ ہونے والے کھلاڑی سہیل تنویر تھے جنھوں نے سات رنز بنائے۔ نویں آؤٹ ہونے والے کھلاڑی محمد حسنین تھے جو بغیر کوئی رن بنائے رن آؤٹ ہوئے۔ آٹھویں کھلاڑی فواد احمد بغیر کوئی رن بنائے حارث رؤف کی گیند پر بولڈ ہوئے۔ کپتان سرفراز احمد نے 29 رنز پر یاسر شاہ کی گیند پر کیچ تھما دیا۔
محمد نواز 12 رنز بنا کر ڈیوڈ وائز کا شکار بنے۔ احسن علی آؤٹ ہونے والے پانچویں کھلاڑی تھے جو 33 رنز بنا کر رن آؤٹ ہوئے۔
دانش عزیز گلیڈی ایٹرز کے آؤٹ ہونے والے چوتھے کھلاڑی تھے جو ایک رن بنا کر سندیپ لیمچن کی گیند پر کیچ آؤٹ ہوئے۔ عمر اکمل بھی سندیپ لمیچن کی عمدہ بولنگ کے آگے بے بس دکھائی دیے اور صرف ایک رن بنا کر بولڈ ہوگئے۔
Image copyrightPCB
Image captionسندیپ لیمچن
ریلی روسو آٰؤٹ ہونے والے دوسرے کھلاڑی تھے جنھوں نے آٹھ رنز بنائے اور سندیپ لمیچن ہی کی گیند پر کیچ آؤٹ ہوئے۔ گلیڈی ایٹرز کی جانب سے آؤٹ ہونے والے پہلے کھلاڑی شین واٹسن تھے جو صرف سات رنز پر سندیپ لمیچن کی گیند پر ایل بی ڈبلیو ہوئے۔
لاہور قلندرز کی جانب سے سندیپ لیمچن نے عمدہ بولنگ کا مظاہرہ کیا اور چار کھلاڑیوں کو آؤٹ کیا۔ حارث رؤف نے دو کھلاڑیوں کو آؤٹ کیا جبکہ یاسر شاہ اور شاہین آفریدی ایک ایک وکٹ لینے میں کامیاب رہے
پاکستان سپر لیگ کے چوتھے ایڈیشن میں یہ دونوں ٹیمیں مد مقابل آچکی ہیں۔ شارجہ میں ہونے والے پاکستان سپر لیگ کے 12 ویں میچ میں کوئٹہ گلیڈی ایٹرز نے لاہور قلندرز کو دلچسپ مقابلے کے بعد تین وکٹوں سے شکست دی تھی۔
یہ بھی پڑ 
لاہور قلندرز پوائنٹس ٹیبل پر اس وقت چھ پوائنٹس کے ساتھ چوتھے نمبر پرہے۔ کوئٹہ گلیڈی ایٹرز کی ٹیم اس سال کے پی ایس ایل میں پوائنٹس ٹیبل پر چار فتوحات کے ساتھ سر فہرست ہے جبکہ ان کو کراچی کنگز اور لاہور قلندرز کے ہاتھوں شکست کا سامنا کرنا پڑا۔
اس میچ سے قبل دونوں ٹیموں کے مابین سات میچ کھیلے گئے جن میں سے کوئٹہ کو 5 مرتبہ کامیابی ملی جبکہ لاہور قلندرز دو بار فاتح رہی تھی۔
Image copyrightPCB
سرفراز احمد کی کپتانی میں کوئٹہ گلیڈی ایٹرز کی ٹیم شین واٹسن، احسن علی، ریلی روسو، عمر اکمل، ہیری گرنی، محمد نواز، دانش عزیز، سہیل تنویر، محمد حسنین، اور فواد احمد پر مشتمل تھی۔
لاہور قلندرز کی ٹیم فخر زمان، حارث سہیل، اے بی ڈی ویلیئرز (کپتان)، سہیل اختر، ڈیوڈ وائز، حارث رؤف، کورے اینڈرسن، سندیپ لمیچن، یاسر شاہ، گوہر علی اور شاہین آفریدی پر مشتمل تھی۔

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Kashmiris flee, prepare bunkers as India-Pakistan conflict fears grow

Workers construct a concrete bunker in a residential area near the border with Pakistan in Samba sector near Jammu.
CHAKOTHI, PAKISTAN: Thousands of Kashmiris have fled their homes, some bailed water out of disused bunkers, while others dug in — determined to see out the latest flare-up of hostilities between India and Pakistan.
Shelling across the heavily militarised Line of Control sent many seeking shelter Wednesday.
At least 2,000 people left their homes near Kotli and Jhelum districts, and authorities closed all public schools, said officials. Other districts also saw an exodus.
“More people are leaving their homes and moving to safer places,” said Umar Azam, a senior government official in Kotli.
Internet was also cut in some zones near the frontier — often a sign of military activity.
Women, men and children, loaded with cases and bags, could be seen on roads. Some pulled cattle or carried other animals.
Habib Ullah Awan, a 46-year-old grocery store owner in the nearby border village of Chakothi said shells were still falling when he left his home with eight members of his family early Wednesday.
“My house was not safe because of the shelling, God forbid, nothing will be left if a shell hits my house,” he said.
Captured Indian pilot praises Pakistan Army for saving him frommob
Most people leaving Chakothi went to Muzaffarabad, the main city in Azad Kashmir, or to stay with relatives in other villages. Those with no family to house them went to the Hattian Bala camp set up by the local administration.
Mushtaq Ahmed said he was taking his wife and children to Muzaffarabad. “But I will come back, I can’t afford to leave my home and belongings unguarded,” he said.
At Kamalkote in occupied Kashmir, residents said they had also faced heavy shelling.
“We spent the night in total horror. Shells did not land in the village, but fighter jets are still flying above us,” said a man who gave his name as Tariq.
There was also heavy shelling at Poonch further south on the Line of Control.
While no casualties were reported there, authorities have told villagers to prepare bunkers.
Some, fearing hostilities, took buckets underground to bail out complexes near the main city of Jammu that had been left flooded by melted winter snow.
Some residents have also left villages. “It happens regularly,” said one at Poonch who declined to be named. “My relatives know my family will be arriving.”
Baseer Khan, a senior government official in Indian-occupied Kashmir, said authorities are always prepared to evacuate border residents but no order to do so has yet been given.

Pakistan eager for US diplomacy between Islamabad and New Delhi

There is perhaps no other country better placed than the United States to be able to play some role, says Asad Majeed.

PHOTO: EXPRESS
There is perhaps no other country better placed than the United States to be able to play some role, says Asad Majeed. 
Pakistan on Wednesday voiced regret that the United States did not condemn India’s air incursion and urged the superpower to play its due role in maintaining peace in South Asia and beyond.
The statement was made during a briefing organised by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Dr Asad Majeed Khan at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington to update the international media regarding the ongoing situation. Dr Khan also covered a range of issues including deteriorating peace and security situation in South Asia.
Dr Khan said the stance taken by the US ’emboldened’ New Delhi. He called on the United States to play a greater role in easing tensions between the India and Pakistan. “We would certainly like to have more, and would certainly like to see more active involvement of the United States.”


PHOTO: EXPRESS
“It is construed and understood as an endorsement of the Indian position and that is what emboldened them even more,” Dr Khan told reporters when asked about the US statement.
But Dr Khan said Pakistan – which has an increasingly close relationship with China and rising friction with Washington – was eager for greater US diplomacy between Islamabad and New Delhi.
“There is perhaps no other country better placed than the United States to be able to play some role,” he said, pointing to the US relationship with both countries.
The armed forces on Wednesday announced it had shot down two Indian fighter jets that had attempted to violate Pakistan’s airspace once again and has captured a pilot.
The military’s media wing later released a video of the pilot, who introduced himself as Wing Commander Abhinandan bearing the service number 27981.
The development came a day after the country’s civil and military leadership declared the violation of airspace by Indian fighter jets “uncalled for aggression” and decided that the country would respond at the “time and place of its choosing”.
On Wednesday, US White House National Security Council official said that the risk of further military action by India and Pakistan was unacceptably high.
“The potential risks associated with further military action by either side are unacceptably high for both countries, there neighbours, and the international community,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
“The United States is deeply concerned about rising tensions between India and Pakistan and calls on both sides to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation.

Pentagon focused on de-escalating Indo-Pak tensions

Pentagon said Shanahan had spoken with senior US military officials about the situation. PHOTO: REUTERS
Pentagon said Shanahan had spoken with senior US military officials about the situation. PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON DC: Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is focused on de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan and urged them both to avoid further military action, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, without saying if he had spoken with his counterparts from either nation.
In a statement, the Pentagon said Shanahan had spoken with
senior US military officials about the situation. “Acting Secretary Shanahan’s focus is on de-escalating tensions and urging both of the nations to avoid further military action,” the statement added.
Tensions escalated dramatically between Pakistan and India on February 14 when a young man – a native of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) – rammed an explosives-laden car into an Indian military convoy, killing 44 soldiers.
The Jaish-e-Mohammad reportedly claimed the attack, but India was quick to hurl unsubstantiated allegations at Pakistan.
Prime Minister Imran Khan offered every possible help in investigation, but India turned down the offer and instead whipped up war hysteria.
Pakistan on Wednesday announced it had shot down two Indian fighter jets that attempted to violate its airspace and captured an Indian pilot.
The military’s media wing later released a video of the pilot, who introduced himself as Wing Commander Abhinandan bearing service number 27981.
The development came a day after the country’s civil and military leadership declared the violation of airspace by Indian fighter jets “uncalled for aggression” and decided that the country would respond at a “time and place of its choosing”.

2 Indian aircraft violating Pakistani airspace shot down; pilot arrested


Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday — a day after India violated the Line of Control (LoC) — undertook strikes across the LoC from Pakistani airspace.
"The sole purpose of this action was to demonstrate our right, will and capability for self defence. We do not wish to escalate, but are fully prepared if forced into that paradigm," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs(MoFA) said in a statement.
Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the director general (DG) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed the development via a tweet, adding that "in response to PAF strikes this morning, as released by MoFA, IAF [Indian Air Force] crossed [the] LoC."
"[The] PAF shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace. One of the aircraft fell inside AJ&K [Azad Jammu and Kashmir] while [the] other fell inside IoK [Indian occupied Kashmir]. One Indian pilot arrested by troops on ground while two in the area."



While addressing a press conference an hour after his tweet, Maj Gen Ghafoor said that another pilot has been arrested.


Possessions seized from Indian pilots. ─ Photo: ISPR
Possessions seized from Indian pilots. ─ Photo: ISPR

"Our ground forces arrested two pilots; one of them was injured and has been shifted to CMH [Combined Military Hospital] and, God-willing, he will be taken care of," said the army official.
"The other one is with us."
Later, in a tweet, he said that only one pilot is currently in the custody of the Pakistan Army.



"Today's action was in self defence; we do not want to claim any victory. The way we set out target and made sure that there were no collateral damage — the in-built message was that despite out capability, we look towards peace," said the army spokesperson.
"Today morning, Pakistan Air Force engaged six targets at the LoC. Because we are a responsible state and want peace, we decided that we will not use any military target.
"As a result of engaging our target, no human life was affected. Staying within our jurisdiction, six targets were locked. And we carried out the strike," said the army spokesperson.
"Pakistan is not pushing the environment towards war," he made it clear, adding that Pakistan deliberately and thoughtfully avoided escalation.
"If that were the case [that Pakistan wanted to escalate], we could have easily engaged the [military] targets, which our air force had locked. That would have resulted in human casualties and collateral damage as well.
"We [instead] engaged a nearby open space where there were no human lives or military posts. We deliberately avoided the escalation. We only wanted to demonstrate that we could have easily taken the original target, which was their administrative setup and military post. But we did not do that," he reiterated.
The military spokesperson also rubbished reports that a PAF F-16 had been shot down inside occupied Kashmir.
"Indian media was saying that they shot down a Pakistani F-16. Firstly, Pakistan did not use F-16s in the entire action and there is no news that a Pakistan plane was downed," he said.
The spokesperson also publicly announced the closure of the Pakistani airspace.
"The airspace is closed due to the [security] environment," he said.

'Demonstration of our capability'

Regarding the upcoming meeting of the National Command Authority and potential use of nuclear weapons, the DG said: "I have always said that we must not talk about this [a nuclear strike]. It is insane to talk about this. It is a capability and a weapon of political choice. Neither is this our level nor is this a topic that should be talked about."
"Pakistan's response is actually not a retaliation," he again clarified. "It is the demonstration of our capability, capacity and will. We stayed within the domain of responsibility as a state that has the potential [to respond].
"We don't want to escalate the situation. It is up to India now if they [choose to] go for the way that we have suggested and which is the requirement of this region: peace. But it is understood that if aggression is imposed on us, then we will respond. But that will be under compulsion," he added.

Avoiding human loss, collateral damage

"Pakistan has taken strikes at a non military target, avoiding human loss and collateral damage," the Foreign Office's earlier statement had said about the strikes across the LoC earlier in the day.
"For the last few years, India has been trying to establish what they call 'a new normal', a thinly-veiled term for acts of aggression at whatever pretext they wish on a given day.
"If India is striking at so-called 'terrorist backers' without a shred of evidence, we also retain reciprocal rights to retaliate against elements that enjoy Indian patronage while carrying out acts of terror in Pakistan. We do not wish to go to that route and wish that India gives peace a chance and to resolve issues like a mature democratic nation," the statement had added.
A day earlier, the army spokesperson had said that the prime minister had asked everyone to be ready for "every eventuality".
"We are all ready. Now it is time for India to wait for our response," he asserted.
"The response will come at a point and time of our choosing where our civil military leadership decides, and as a matter of fact, has decided," he had said, reiterating the statement issued after the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting convened by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

'New Pakistan'

"We are peaceful; we didn't escalate, India did," Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said while speaking to ARY.
"We exposed their escalations and their false claims, we offered international observers to come and examine the claims of India.
"India, listen: this is a new Pakistan, [there is] new enthusiasm, new valour," he cautioned the neighbouring country.
"The nation is united, each and every child is standing by the Army and Kashmiris. Even today, our preference is peace. India should review its designs. A new Pakistan has been established," Qureshi said.
"The next course of action will be devised after the NCA [National Command Authority] session in which military and political leadership are participating," he added.
Prime Minister Khan has summoned a special meeting of the NCA today. The NCA is the apex civilian-led command headed by the prime minister to oversee the policy formulation, exercises, deployment, research and development, and operational command and control of the country’s nuclear arsenals.

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