| Asserts desire for diplomacy not sign of weakness | Asserts Army will respond to military aggression, triumph at all levels | Expresses resolve, unwavering commitment to country’s security | Nation, Forces mark 3rd anniversary of Operation Swift Retort
By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: 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.
Moreover, Pakistan on Sunday has reiterated its resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs as it marks the third anniversary of the armed forces’ exemplary response to India’s ill-conceived military airstrikes inside its territorial airspace.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement, India, in utter violation of the United Nations charter and international law, violated Pakistani airspace on February 26, 2019, and conducted airstrikes inside Pakistani territory.
“The botched attempt at infringing Pakistan’s sovereignty was swiftly riposted by Pakistan’s armed forces,” the statement said, adding that not only did Pakistan resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, it also displayed utmost restraint.
On February 27, 2019, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had launched Operation Swift Retort in broad daylight, in response to the violation of its airspace by Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets in the dark of night on February 26.
Two Indian fighter jets a MiG-21 Bison and a SU-30 were shot down by the PAF during the operation. The captured pilot of one of the downed aircraft was later returned to India as a goodwill gesture.
“Pakistan is a proponent for regional peace and stability. At the same time, our desire for peace is accompanied by strong resolve and capability for self-defence,” the ministry maintained.
It further stated that February 27 also served as a lesson for India that “none of its militarism and war-mongering jingoism would go without a befitting response.”
The ministry emphasised that India must remain mindful of the consequences of its reckless conduct in February 2019 and “refrain from any such misadventure in the future”.
“The government, armed forces and the people of Pakistan continue to stand firm in their resolve to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity against any aggression,” it reiterated.
The ministry further underscored Pakistan’s commitment to the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
The communique called upon the international community, including the United Nations, to hold “India accountable for its gross and systematic human rights violations and crimes against humanity in IIOJK”, without further delay.
The director-general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on the occasion highlighted the Pakistan armed force’s achievements in the operation, which included shooting down two Indian fighter jets, the navy detecting an Indian submarine at sea and a “resounding response” at the line of control.
In a tweet, the DG ISPR said: “Today marks the third anniversary of ‘Op[eration] Swift Retort’ when Pakistan armed forces gave a befitting response to Indian failed misadventure.”
He maintained that the Pakistan army’s response was a “testament to [the] professionalism and determination” of the armed forces for defending the “motherland”.
“Not just weapons or numbers but the resolve of a nation and operational preparedness of [the] armed forces define success in face of adversity,” he stated.
