Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday expressed a “resolute and unwavering” commitment to the security of Pakistan as he marked the third anniversary of Operation Swift Retort that resulted in the capture of Indian pilot Abhinandan and destruction of two Indian planes.
In a statement on Twitter, the premier said Pakistan’s desire for “dialogue and diplomacy” should never be taken as a sign of weakness as “we showed India on Feb 27, 2019, when it chose to attack us”.
Imran said the armed forces “backed by the nation will respond to military aggression and prevail at all level”, expressing unwavering commitment to Pakistan’s security.
Operation Swift Retort
During the aerial skirmish with India that day on February 27, 2019, Pakistan piled a long list of mishaps for its opponent. On that list were two Indian jets, a MiG-21 Bison and a SU-30, who were shot down after they attempted to intrude into Pakistan’s airspace.
The pilot of the Mig-21, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was captured by Pakistani authorities as the fighter jet crashed inside Pakistan’s territory. The captured pilot was released a day later as a goodwill gesture to India.
Adding insult to the injury, India’s air defence system shot down its own helicopter in the “fog of war”.
The rare aerial engagement that significantly raised the stakes in the perilous standoff came a day after New Delhi claimed its aircraft had launched an airstrike on what it called the “biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Muhammad” militant group inside Pakistan – a claim debunked by Islamabad.
