New Delhi:
Following the Indo-Pak tensions, security has been beefed up around world famous Taj Mahal. Local police and CRPF have been rushed around the heritage site, according to reports. India shot down Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 fighter jet after an airspace violation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Nowshera sector on Wednesday morning. The fighter jet was shot down in Indian retaliatory fire 3 KM within Pakistan territory in Lam valley, Nowshera sector, news agency ANI. The latest development comes amid reports of Pakistan violating airspace in the Rajouri district. According to news agency PTI, "The jets entered into Indian air space over Nowshera sector this morning." The Pakistani jet was immediately pushed back by Indian planes on air patrol but not before dropping bombs. Nowshera is a border town in Jammu.
While details of this retaliation are yet be ascertained by either the Indian Air Force or the Ministry of Defence, contrary claims are being made by the officials across the border. Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, spokesperson Pakistan armed forces, claimed that “PAF shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace. “Another starling claim Maj Gen Ghafoor said that, “One Indian pilot arrested by troops on the ground while two in the area.”
The government has closed several airports close to the Line of Control (LoC) for commercial traffic. According to government sources, flights to Jammu, Srinagar, Chandigarh, Leh, Amritsar, Pathankot, Dehradun and Dharamshala have been suspended till further notice. "The civilian air traffic has been suspended temporarily in view of the emergency," an official of the Airport Authority of India told news agency PTI. Official sources said that the entire airspace north of Delhi has been vacated.
Pakistan has also shut down all its airport. "All Pakistan airports have been shut down. Flight operations have been suspended in Multan, Islamabad, Lahore, Sialkot, and Faisalabad,” news agency ANI reported.
Meanwhile, a high-level meeting is underway at the Home Ministry in New Delhi. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is among those attending the crucial meet. There are reports that following the airspace violation by Pakistan, airspace over Jammu, Leh and Pathankot have been closed.
