Politicians react to PAF shooting down Indian aircraft

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace on Wednesday and arrested an Indian pilot on ground.

The move came after Pakistan warned India of a "surprise" on Tuesday in the wake of Indian military aircraft's intrusion into Pakistani airspace.

Politicians, including Finance Minister Asad Umar and Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, reacted to the news of Indian aircraft being shot down.

"I hope there are no questions left about Pakistan's capability and will to defend itself now," the finance minister said. "Hope the sane voices in India will be able to stop Narendra Modi's mad attempt to pitch two nuclear nations in a conflict that no sane person can want," Umar added.

The human rights minister said, "PM had warned India if they attack we will not think of responding we will respond. Instead of asking for sanity and condemning India's dangerous brinkmanship, some in the international community applauded India for its attack yesterday. We had the right to respond in self defence and we did."

"Our timing and our choice of operation - Now UNSC and India's applauders can push for sanity to prevail in a nuclear neighborhood or continue applauding and encouraging Indian brinkmanship," she added.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Sirajul Haq lauded the PAF and said, "Every single person is determined and standing behind the armed forces."

Pakistan's retaliatory action to India's war hysteria is in accordance with the nation's expectations, he added.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said  Pakistan has the right and is and capability of defending its frontiers.

“India provoked Pakistan & Pakistan has the right and is capable of defending it's frontiers. The international community should also take notice of Modi sarkar’s aggressions and brutalities in the occupied Kashmir taking lives of innocent civilians for its petty political gains,” Shehbaz tweeted.

Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said Indian Air Force (IAF) crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and two of their aircraft were shot down by PAF inside Pakistani airspace.

"One of the aircraft fell inside AJK while other fell inside IoK. One Indian pilot arrested by troops on ground while two in the area," Director Gneral of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor said.

The action comes a day after Pakistan military warned India of retaliatory action following violation of Pakistani airspace by Indian aircraft. The Indian jets intruded into the Pakistani airspace from the Muzaffarabad sector and dropped their payload on what India claimed was a terrorist camp, before they were repelled by timely action from the Pakistan Air Force.