Shooting down Indian drones reflects professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces: Sharjeel

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Thursday in a media briefing said that during the evening of May 6-7, India demonstrated hostility towards Pakistan in an illegal, irresponsible manner and in an open violation of international norms in response to an unsubstantiated accusation of terrorism.

He said the whole world knows the decades-long struggle for freedom in Kashmir, and that India has always used such means to crush the movement.

Speaking at an emergency press conference in Karachi, Minister for Information, Transport, and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon said India blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam incident without carrying out even a single investigation or producing evidence. He added that India also rejected Pakistan’s offer for an impartial inquiry, which clearly indicated that India had already planned to carry out aggression based on premeditated accusations.

He said Pakistan acted responsibly and decisively in self-defence, successfully shooting down Indian Air Force aircraft and killing three pilots. This operation marked an unprecedented achievement against the enemy’s advanced technology and is being widely acknowledged around the world. He added that in retaliatory actions, Pakistan targeted key military installations across the Line of Control, resulting in the deaths of 40 to 50 Indian soldiers.

He added that India has a history of concealing its failures, citing the example of awarding the Vir Chakra to Abhinandan, the pilot of a downed aircraft. He said that on the night of May 7 and 8, India escalated tensions by targeting three types of objectives. First, attacks were carried out against the Sikh community and their religious sites within India to instill fear among Sikhs. Second, these attacks were falsely attributed to Pakistan in an attempt to spread hatred. Third, India aimed to create a false impression of victory by presenting the wreckage from these attacks as evidence of downed Pakistani aircraft.

Moreover, the second target was Pakistan’s defence installations, aimed at weakening the country’s defensive and offensive capabilities. The third target was the civilian population, intended to spread fear and despair among the Pakistani people. However, Pakistan once again responded effectively with a well-executed defence strategy, successfully shooting down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones across the country.

He further stated that while flying drones is relatively easy, shooting them down requires exceptional skill—an achievement that reflects the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces. He added that Pakistan not only downed Indian aircraft but also successfully targeted their military check posts.

Sharjeel claimed that the Modi government procured the planes with corrupt means, a truth accepted by opposition parties in India itself. India has responded in two weeks to an attack on Pakistan after the Pahalgam incident, but he reaffirmed that the timing and area of Pakistani reaction will be established by itself based on its will and the aspiration of the people.

Memon stated that the entire nation stands firmly with the Pakistan armed forces. He emphasized that mothers, sisters, elders, and youth are united in their resolve that India will be defeated at all costs. He further remarked that Modi is mentally unstable and possesses a criminal and extremist mindset.

Expressing solidarity with the Kashmiri people’s freedom struggle, Memon said Pakistan stands with the people of Kashmir under all circumstances. He called for an immediate end to the ongoing atrocities against Muslims and Sikhs in India and warned that India has yet to realise the extent of the damage it is about to incur.

He added that Pakistan is a nuclear power and has every right to defend itself. Innocent children and civilians have been martyred in Indian attacks, and the blood of these martyrs will certainly be avenged. He further mentioned that the Sindh government is closely monitoring the entire situation and is fully prepared to address any potential threat.