On Friday, the government stated that Pakistan did not close its airspace to passenger flights and utilized civilian airliners as cover while it fired drones and missiles at Indian cities, supporting its claim with information from the flight-tracking app FlightRadar24.
On Thursday night, Pakistan sent a barrage of drones and missiles at military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, an assault effectively thwarted by India.
Displaying a printout of the flight-tracking data screenshot from the moment of the drone strike, Colonel Sofia Qureshi noted that the airspace over India was empty of commercial flights due to an announced shutdown, while civilian airlines operated between Karachi and Lahore.
During the same media briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh stated that multiple passenger and international flights were operating close to the International Border between India and Pakistan.
“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 IB between India and Pakistan,” the Wing Commander said.
Regarding India’s response to Pakistan’s new unprovoked assault, the government stated that armed drones targeted four air defence locations in Pakistan, resulting in the destruction of one air defense radar.
The government stated that the Air Force showed “considerable restraint” in its reaction to prioritize civilian safety.
As per sources, India downed Pakistan’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) within its Punjab province and intercepted multiple drones as well.
