Defending air superiority

When a cake was cut to celebrate the historical victory of the brave armed forces of Pakistan, uniquely, during my PIA flight PK-300 from Karachi to Islamabad, the entire plane echoed with the slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’. On this occasion, the enthusiasm and patriotism of the airline's flight crew and passengers was remarkable.

In my view, the brilliant performance of the Pakistani armed forces during the recent Pak-India air clashes has raised Pakistan's prestige in the eyes of the international community. The unbiased and independent reporting by global media regarding the courage and bravery of Pakistani pilots has forced the Indian media to acknowledge Pakistan's military superiority reluctantly.

According to media reports, the Indian Air Force had been busy with war preparations for several days. About 180 aircraft were moved to the Pakistani border. India's goal was very clear: to achieve undisputed dominance over Pakistani skies. A large number of Indian Air Force aircraft were eager to invade Pakistani skies aggressively. However, after a clash with Pakistani pilots, Indian fighter jets preferred to hide 300 kilometres behind their borders.

Almost every international media outlet acknowledged the courage and bravery of Pakistani falcons and reported that Pakistan had shattered the Indian dream of gaining air superiority. Although there has been no official confirmation of India's downing of the Rafale aircraft yet, BBC Verify has found the wreckage of the destroyed French-made aircraft through its own sources. The mysterious silence from the French manufacturers regarding such news reports is also significant.

Various international media reports, especially those on The Telegraph, confirmed that the modern warplanes provided by China, fighter jets equipped with the latest war technology, played a crucial role in the recent clash. According to CNN, the French warplane Rafale was considered an invincible fighter jet before the Pakistan-India air clash, but Pakistani pilots surprised the world by shooting it down. The American media further says that Pakistan preferred Chinese-made fighter jets to confront India instead of the F-16s provided by the United States.

Many international publications, such as Bloomberg, the New York Times and Newsweek, also acknowledged that the air clash proved to be a practical demonstration of the Pakistan-China coordinated war strategy. Reportedly, Pakistan fired air-to-air missiles from the Chinese-provided fighter jets, which the Indian Air Force seemed helpless to counter. As per the renowned American defence magazine, the Indo-Pakistan air clash on May 7 ended with a clear victory for Pakistan.

The foreign media further emphasises that the French-made Rafale fighter jet, worth more than $250 million and considered more powerful than the US-made F-35 fighter jet, was invincible in the eyes of the world before May 7. Still, Pakistan successfully downed the Rafale before it could attack its target. Reportedly, one Rafale aircraft was shot down in mid-air, the other hardly succeeded in returning, while the remaining scared Indian fighter jets were forced to flee in panic.

Undoubtedly, India's border tensions with Pakistan have increased the morale of the Pakistani people and the entire nation has become united in support of the Pakistani forces, forgetting its internal differences. Pakistani pilot Kamran Masih, who belongs to a minority community, has proven with his remarkable courage and bravery that all Pakistanis are ready to defend the motherland.

With its successful defence strategy, I believe that Pakistan has delivered a clear message that the friendship between Pakistan and China is eternal. Everyone must know that if today a citizen of Pakistan sleeps peacefully, it is because the brave soldiers of our armed forces are vigilant day and night to safeguard our beloved motherland. The recent victory is a moment of national pride and a severe warning to all those who underestimate Pakistan’s defence capabilities.

In my view, after the recent Indo-Pak air war, a new, unseen and imperceptible war of narrative has been started, in which the winner will be the one who is able to present their viewpoint clearly, correctly and effectively before the international community.

The writer is a member of the National Assembly and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council. He tweets/posts @RVankwani