Pak reacts to 12 Mirage 2000 jets destroying terror camps across LoC

On  Tuesday, Indian Air Force sources told news agency ANI that the Indian Air Force carried out an attack across LoC. The Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi chaired a meeting. 

The IAF source told ANI: “At 0330 hours on 26th February a group of Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets struck a major terrorist camp across the LoC and completely destroyed it. 1000 Kg bombs were dropped on terror camps across the LoC. 12 Mirage 2000 jets took part in the operation that dropped 1000 Kg bombs on terror camps across LOC, completely destroying it.”

Earlier, the Pakistan Army on Tuesday claimed that the Indian Air Force crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and dropped payload near Balakot in Pakistani territory. 

Read: Pulwama aftermath: 12 Mirage 2000 jets of IAF drop bombs across LoC, destroy major terrorist camp

Why Balakot? 

A Pakistan Army spokesperson said Indian aircraft "intruded" from Muzaffarabad sector and faced "timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force." 

Pakistan's claim comes in the wake of tense relations between the two countries in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. 

"Indian Air Force violated Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircrafts gone back. Details to follow," the Spokesperson for the Pakistan Armed Forces, Major General Asif Ghafoor, tweeted early on Tuesday.

In another tweet, he added, "Indian aircrafts intruded from Muzaffarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage."

Indian aircrafts intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage.

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 26, 2019

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Jawed Bajwa had visited Pakistani troops deployed at the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and instructed them to "be ready to face any eventuality," on Friday.

Bajwa had also visited the Headquarters Rawalpindi Corps on Monday, where he was updated on the operational situation and state of readiness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), LoC and Working Boundary (WB).

He met with Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan at the Air Headquarters in Rawalpindi where the two chiefs "deliberated on operational environment including threat and response" and "expressed satisfaction on readiness, coordination and synergy," according to Ghafoor.

Tensions are high between the neighbours following the ghastly February 14 attack, wherein a Jaish-e-Mohammed (Pakistan-based terror outfit) operative attacked a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Awantipora in Pulwama district on the said date, leading to the death of over 40 CRPF personnel.

The attack has since been widely condemned, with the United States telling Pakistan to cease providing support and a safe haven to terrorists and terrorist outfits. 

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had earlier promised "action" if "actionable intelligence" was provided by India about its links to the Pulwama terror attack. 

Khan had also warned of "retaliation, without even thinking," if any kind of military action is launched by India.

In response, India dubbed Khan's statement as "a lame excuse," asking him to stop misleading the international community. 

(With ANI inputs)