Pakistan, which often boasts about its military capabilities backed by China, faced a significant setback on Wednesday. In a stunning display of India's air superiority, the Indian military successfully shot down Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jet, which was trying to intrude into Indian airspace. The jet was shot down in Pampore town of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, according to media reports. The aircraft, developed through a joint collaboration between Pakistan and China, has been a "point of pride" for Islamabad. However, this strike has shattered the myth of its invincibility, delivering a massive blow not only to Pakistan but also to its strategic partner, China.
The JF-17 is said to be a lightweight, fourth-generation multirole fighter jet. Developed in collaboration between Pakistan and China, it was also used in previous military engagements between India and Pakistan. The JF-17 was designed and developed to replace the Pakistan Air Force's aging fleet of third-generation aircraft, including the A-5C, F-7P/PG, Mirage III, and Mirage 5.
What Pakistan claimed about JF-17 jet?
Pakistan had claimed that the JF-17 is capable of deploying a wide range of weapons, such as air-to-air, air-to-surface, and anti-ship missiles, along with guided and unguided bombs, and a 23 mm GSh-23-2 twin-barrel autocannon. However, these capabilities were rendered ineffective when the Indian Armed Forces successfully destroyed the aircraft in its entirety. The Indian Army also carried out coordinated missile strikes on nine terrorist positions across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as part of 'Operation Sindoor' in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Pakistan PM's reaction
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed the Indian missile strikes as an "act of war" and said his country has every right to give a "befitting reply." "Pakistan has every right to give a befitting reply to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given...Our armed forces know very well how to deal with the enemy...We will never let the enemy succeed in its nefarious objectives," Sharif said in a statement.
