US defence analyst rejects Indian claims of downing Pakistani aircraft

KARACHI: American security and defence analyst Dr C Christine Fair has dismissed India’s assertions that it shot down Pakistani aircraft, calling them “nonsense”.

Fair, a political scientist specialising in security, counterterrorism and South Asia, has been an open critic of Pakistan, which some on social media argue makes her dismissal of India’s claims particularly significant.

She made these remarks while appearing on Indian journalist Karan Thapar’s show on The Wire, ‘The Interview with Karan Thapar’. Thapar had questioned Fair regarding Indian Air Force Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal Bharti’s claim that the Indian Air Force had downed an undisclosed number of Pakistani jets. He also referenced “satellite images suggesting extensive damage” to Pakistani airbases in “Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, Jacobabad and Bholari”.

In response, Dr Fair stated there was “no evidence” of massive destruction and categorically rejected claims that 20 per cent of Pakistan’s air force had been destroyed by India -- saying: “there is certainly no evidence....I am astonished by the claim that 20 per cent of Pakistan’s air force has been rendered unusable. I’ve never heard that before. It’s quite an astonishing claim and most certainly false”.

When Thapar asked directly, “Air Marshal Bharti has claimed that India has shot down an unspecified number of Pakistani air force planes...how do you view this claim?” Fair replied: “Bakwas”, there’s no evidence for it”.