By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on the occasion of second anniversary of Operation Swift Retort will celebrate February 27 as Surprise Day to tribute valiant Shaheens’ for their brave defence of the motherland while retaliating to Indian Air Force violation of its sovereign territories on February 27, 2019. The celebration ceremony of Surprise Day will be held here at PAF Headquarters and to be telecasted live across all media channels. The Operation Swift Retort was a rapid response to Indian Air Force strike in Balakot obliterating Pakistan’s airspace that had merely harmed a few trees and a wild Crow. The PAF giving a resounding response had carried out air strikes at six multiple locations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and engaged its counterpart in a dogfight whereas it was first ever incident after 1971 when both the rival forces had attacked each others territory. The PAF had shot down two Indian fighter jets namely MiG-21 and Su-30 where the former’s pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was caught by Pakistan Army after his safe ejection and falling into the Pakistani side of the line of control (LoC). The Indian Air Force Wing Commander was soundly beaten up by mob of local people where the Pakistan Army troops rescued him and was later handed over to India as a peace gesture. The PAF Shaheens proved their mettle and dominance in air warfare domain and made the self bragging Indian Air Force realise the consequences of daring to enter Pakistan’s airspace.
