Pakistani authorities on Wednesday released a video they claimed was of an Indian pilot they had arrested after an Indian Air Force plane was shot down inside Pakistan's territory.

Iran Press/Asia: The video, which was released by Radio Pakistan on their official Twitter handle, shows the Indian pilot answering questions while he stands blindfolded.

According to Pakistani officials, the Indian Air Force (IAF) crossed Line of Control (LoC) in response to the Pakistan Air Force's strikes on Wednesday morning, following which two IAF planes were shot down, Radio Pakistan reported.

The video released by Inter Services Public Relations, the army’s media wing, showed the captured pilot saying: “My name is Wing Commander Abhi Nandan. My service number is 2798. I am a flying pilot. My religion is Hindu.”

When asked to tell some more details, he said: “I am sorry sir, that is all I am supposed to tell you.”

The other pilot who was captured in an injured state, is being treated at a military hospital at an undisclosed location, army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor said at a news conference in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan was forced to respond: Imran Khan

While addressing the nation on Wednesday, Imran Khan in his speech said: ”After Pulwama, we offered a hand to India for the investigation. It is not in the interest of Pakistan that its land is used. Moreover, there was no dispute we were ready to corporate with India but Pakistan was forced to respond. We had planned there was no collateral damage, we only wanted to give a message that we are capable of retaliating.”

”There has been a miscalculation in most of the wars, the war on terror has taken 17 years already.”

Pakistan shoots down two Indian fighter jets

Pakistan army early on Wednesday claimed that the country’s air force has shot down two Indian fighter jets that crossed into Pakistani territory, and captured two pilots.

"IAF [Indian Air Force] crossed LOC [Line of Control], PAF [Pakistan Air Force] shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace. One of the aircraft fell inside AJK while other fell inside IOK," Maj, Gen. Asif Ghafoor, Pakistan army spokesman, said in a Twitter post.

Claims of shooting down Pakistani F-16 jet

Meanwhile, Indian Today, a broadcaster, claimed in a report that Indian forces have shot down a Pakistani F-16 that violated Indian airspace.

Indian Air Force's helicopter after it crashed in in Kashmir February 27, 2019. REUTERS

The tension between the two nuclear neighbors has raised after Indian jets intruded into Pakistan's airspace on early Tuesday.

India had claimed that “several terrorists” were killed in preemptive action on the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camp, a group that had been listed as terrorist organization by Islamabad in 2002.

The Pakistani civil and military officials have rejected the claim.

The incursion over the heavily militarized Line of Control comes a day after Indian warplanes carried out an air strike in Pakistan on what New Delhi said was a militant training camp, in retaliation for a suicide bombing in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian troops on February 14. 

Tensions have been running high between India and Pakistan since the February 14 bomb attack. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of being behind the assault, an allegation the Pakistani government denies.

Islamabad has rejected India's suggestion it was linked to the attack, which it called a matter of "grave concern." 101/202

 

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Indian Air Force