Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday confirmed that Pakistan deployed Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets in its response to Indian aggression, while addressing the National Assembly.
He informed the lower house that “Chinese J-10C jets participated in Pakistan’s response, while Indian Rafale jets involved in the initial strike were downed, possibly due to pilot error,” reported Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
Pakistan, which has imported a bulk of the defence equipment, including J-10C fighter jets, shot down five Indian planes, including three French Rafale jets.
Tensions between Pakistan and India rose after an attack in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) killed 26 men, for which New Delhi blamed Islamabad.
Pakistan denied the allegations and called for a neutral investigation of the attack.
In the wee hours of Wednesday, the Pakistan military brought down five Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafale jets, in retaliation following Indian missile attacks.
At least 31 Pakistanis were martyred and dozens were injured in Indian missile attacks inside Pakistan at six locations, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in a press conference.
Pakistan shot down five Indian jets, including three Rafale, one MiG-21, and one SU-30, he informed.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar further revealed that Pakistan had received intelligence of a possible Indian attack at 10pm on Tuesday, prompting defensive measures.
“There were instructions to only target Indian jets that released payloads,” Dar said. “This is why only five jets were taken down. Had the directive been different, nearly 10-12 jets would have been struck.”
Following an Indian airstrike, Pakistan’s Air Force shot down five Indian fighter jets. Dar stated that while four Indian jets initially attempted to breach Pakistani airspace, they were intercepted. Later, aircraft striking from within Indian territory were targeted in retaliation.
“Any aircraft crossing into our airspace would be engaged,” he warned.
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