Pakistan is using civil airlines as shield, says Indian Army

New Delhi: The Centre, briefing the nation over Pakistan's repeated airspace aggression after the dismantling of terror infrastructure on its soil, said on Friday that the neighbouring nation was using civilian flights as 'cover' and it didn't even close the civilian airspace despite launching an attack on India.

Addressing the special briefing on Operation Sindoor on Friday, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said, "Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7 May at 08:30 hours in the evening. Pakistan is using civil airliner as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response."

She further emphasised that this decision endangered unsuspecting civil airliners, including international flights operating near the India-Pakistan border.

"This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners including the international flights which were flying near IB between India and Pakistan," she said.

During the briefing the Wing Commander showed the data of the application flight radar 24 during a high air defence alert situation in the Punjab sector.

Singh pointed out that while India's airspace was closed due to the heightened alert, Pakistan allowed civil airlines to continue flying, including those on the Karachi-Lahore route.

"As you have seen, the airspace on the Indian side is absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure. However, there are civil airlines flying the air route between Karachi and Lahore...Indian Air force demonstrated considerable restraint in its response thus ensuring safety of international civil carriers," she said.

Meawhile, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed  the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace several times over the entire western border with the intention of targeting military infrastructure and one Pakistani unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was also directed towards Bhatinda military station, but that was foiled.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said during the press briefing, "On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace several times over the entire western border to target military infrastructure. The possible purpose of such large-scale aerial intrusions was to test air defence systems and collect intelligence." (Agencies)

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