Pakistan rejects claims of Indian pilot in Custody, calls reports fake
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Islamabad: Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General, Lt Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has officially dismissed rumours suggesting that an Indian female pilot is in Pakistan’s custody. He clarified that these claims are part of a disinformation campaign and false reporting following the latest military confrontation between India and Pakistan.
During a press conference alongside senior officials from the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Chaudhry urged the public not to fall for misinformation circulating on social media. He emphasised that Pakistan has no Indian pilot in its custody, countering viral reports that had falsely claimed otherwise.
"I can confirm very clearly that we don't have any Indian pilot in custody. This is all social media chatter. This is all part of the multiple sources of fake news and propaganda that have been generated from multiple sources," said Chaudhry.
The clarification from DGISPR put to rest all speculations that Pakistan may have downed an Indian fighter jet and taken into custody a female Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot. The reporting by international media and various video clips from different areas, showing locals running into the mountains and claiming that they saw the Indian pilot land in the mountains flying through a parachute, has also been dismissed completely.
"Al-Jazeera cited Pakistan government and security sources stating that the Indian pilot was captured and two jets were downed. There are videos on social media showing clearly that locals in Kotli, Kashmir, rushed to the mountains looking for the Indian pilot, who they saw fly down on a parachute," said Zubair, a local resident of Islamabad.
The news of a suspected IAF pilot capture became the talk of the town as rumours and speculations brought back memories of February 2019 when IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani military and later released.
"We remember how Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan was captured. And how, at the time, the term ‘tea is fantastic’ went viral," another local from Kotli said.
It is noteworthy that the Indian military officials have also confirmed that all IAF pilots who participated in Operation Sindoor are safe.
(inputs from IANS)
