Pakistan shoots down Indian quadcopter violating airspace near LoC

 

The Pakistan Army on Tuesday shot down an Indian quadcopter drone near the Line of Control (LoC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), state media reported, as tensions between the two countries linger on in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.

The April 22 attack killed 26 men, mostly tourists, and was one of the deadliest armed attacks in the disputed Himalayan region since 2000. Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front, said it “unequivocally” denied involvement in the attack, after an initial message that claimed responsibility.

India, without offering any evidence, has implied cross-border linkages of the attackers, while Pakistan has strongly denied any involvement. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a neutral probe into the incident.

“Pakistan has successfully shot down an Indian quadcopter along the Line of Control, thwarting a violation of its airspace,” state-run Radio Pakistan and PTV News reported, citing security sources.

Specifying the location, security sources said the “enemy attempted to conduct surveillance using a quadcopter” in the Manawar sector of Bhimber district in AJK.

“The Pakistan Army, through timely action, foiled this nefarious attempt by the enemy,” the report added.

The security sources termed the incident a “clear testimony to the vigilance, professional skill and defensive preparedness of the Pakistan Army”.

“The Pakistan Army is always ready to give an immediate and effective response to any aggression from the enemy,” the report read, adding that the entire nation stood “united with the armed forces to give a befitting response to the enemy on every front”.

The development comes as Indian and Pakistani soldiers reportedly traded fire along the LoC for a fifth straight night, after four years of relative calm.

The Indian army said its soldiers and Pakistani forces fired at each other overnight. There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan.

India said that overnight from Monday to Tuesday, the gunfire took place in areas opposite the Kupwara and Baramulla districts in held Kashmir, as well as in the Akhnoor sector.

There were no reports of casualties.

In the latest of this heated debate, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif yesterday said Pakistan was ready for any incursion by India.