New Delhi:
Praising the armed forces for meeting the objectives of Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday highlighted to the world, once again, how Pakistan had used civilian flights as a shield, putting the lives of hundreds of innocent people in danger.
Addressing personnel of the Indian Air Force at the Adampur Airbase – India’s second largest – In Punjab on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi said the Indian armed forces carried out strikes with pinpoint precision at terror bases in Pakistan on May 7 in just 20-25 minutes.
“Your precision was such that the enemy was left stunned, it did not even realise when it was struck. Our aim was to hit terror headquarters and terrorists, but Pakistan hatched a conspiracy by placing its passenger planes in front… I can imagine how difficult it must have been, but I am proud that you did an amazing job and did not let any civilian aircraft be harmed. You gave a befitting reply,” the PM said in Hindi.
During a press briefing on Friday, India had pointed out how Pakistan had not closed its airspace for civilian flights even as it launched 300-400 missiles at India the previous day, and said the country was using unsuspecting civilian aircraft, including international flights, as shields.
“Pakistan is using civil airliners as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners, including the international flights, which were flying near the International Border between India and Pakistan,” Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi had said.
That same evening, at least two commercial aircraft were seen flying near Lahore in Pakistan even as a fresh wave of drones and missiles was being intercepted on the Indian side. While all of this was happening, India had closed its airspace close to the Line of Control and International Border to civilian aircraft.
After India’s accusations rang alarm bells, Pakistan closed its airspace to civilian aircraft temporarily on Saturday, the day its Director General of Military Operations called up his Indian counterpart and a ceasefire was agreed upon.
