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Updated: Jun 15, 2020 17:26 IST

Pakistani aircraft violated Indian air space in the Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Wednesday morning. The Indian Air Force scrambled jets and pushed them back. News agency ANI has reported that a Pakistan Air Force F-16 was shot down in Indian retaliatory fire in Nowshera’s Lam valley.

The Pakistani jets had entered into Indian air space over Rajouri district this morning, sources said.

The air space violation by Pakistani jets comes a day after Indian Air Force jets flew across the Line of Control to blow up Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest terror camp.

The Pakistan government has claimed in a statement that its air force undertook strikes on the Indian side of the Line of Control “from within Pakistani airspace”.

There has been no response from the Indian government on Pakistan’s claim.

The Pakistan government statement said its strikes “were not a retaliation to continued Indian belligerence”.

The strikes were carried out at “non military target, avoiding human loss and collateral damage. Sole purpose being to demonstrate our right, will and capability for self defence”.

The statement also said Islamabad had no intention to escalate the situation “but are fully prepared to do so if forced into that paradigm. That is why we undertook the action with clear warning and in broad daylight”.

“If India is striking at so-called terrorist backers without a shred of evidence, we also retain reciprocal rights to retaliate against elements that enjoy Indian patronage while carrying out acts of terror in Pakistan,” the statement said.

“We do not wish to go to that route and wish that India gives peace a chance and to resolve issues like a mature democratic nation,” it said.

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