MEA confirms 1 IAF pilot missing, Pak releases video of ‘captured’ pilot

February 27: Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told a media briefing that Pakistan has claimed that the pilot was in its custody and India is “ascertaining the facts”. Kumar said India had struck terrorist training camps in Pakistan Tuesday and “against this counter-terrorism action Pakistan has responded this morning by using its air force to target military installations on the Indian side”.

In that aerial engagement one PAF aircraft was shot down by a MiG-21 Bison of IAF and the Pakistani plane was seen falling from the sky on the Pakistani side, Kumar said. “We have unfortunately lost one MiG-21. The pilot is missing in action,” Kumar said. The Indian statement came hours after Pakistan claimed that it shot down two Indian military aircraft over Pakistani air space and arrested two pilots.

Here’s the full statement from the @MEAIndia just now: pic.twitter.com/6Un3cwg0T5

— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) February 27, 2019

Air Vice Marshal R G K Kapoor and MEA spoksperson Raveesh Kumar to address the media in a short while. Government took no questions at the press conference. Sources said Pakistan has not formally informed India about the detention of the pilot which it claims to have in its custody.

In response to PAF strikes this morning as released by MoFA, IAF crossed LOC. PAF shot down two Indian aircrafts inside Pakistani airspace. One of the aircraft fell inside AJ&K while other fell inside IOK. One Indian pilot arrested by troops on ground while two in the area.

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 27, 2019

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Wednesday claimed to have captured two Indian pilots at a press briefing done by the media wing of its military. Major General Asif Ghafoor claimed that two Indian Air Force jets had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and both had been shot down.The wreckage of one fell on our side and that of the other fell towards the Indian side, he said.

The arrested Indian pilot #PakistanArmyZindabad#Budgam#PakistanAirForceOurPride#PakistanStrikesBack#PakistanZindabaad pic.twitter.com/UIPHFBv2Sk

— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) February 27, 2019

“We have arrested two pilots. We are behaving with them the way responsible countries behave with soldiers of other countries,” Ghafoor added. Pakistan military’s PR wing also shared a video of a blindfolded man claiming him to be the captured IAF pilot. It said two Indian pilots are currently under arrest. Pakistan also claims that one of the captured pilots is IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.

Meanwhile, social media in India is full of appeals to treat Wing Commander Abhinandan and the other pilot in capture of Pakistan to be treated by following the Geneva Convention until they are brought back by our forces.