BJP’s bid to win polls through war hysteria fails: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party’s attempt to win elections by whipping up war hysteria and making false claim of downing a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet had backfired.

In a social media message, Imran reminded that the US defence officials has also confirmed that no F-16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet. Khan said the truth always prevailed and was always the best policy. The message has been issued in the backdrop of a credible US journal story quoting defence sources that all F-16s with the PAF were safe and secure.

The Modi government had claimed that an Indian MIG-21, which was shot down in Pakistan’s airspace on February 27, had shot down an F-16 before being hit by Pakistan. Incidentally, Director General ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor had emphatically refuted the Indian claim on February 27 and it was confirmed this week by the US defence sources.

Major General Asif Ghafoor had disclosed that Pakistan has the unimpeachable evidence that not a single missile was fired by the Indian MIG-21 and he also provided the proof. He also warned that Pakistan was holding further evidence to prove its version of the story.

In another social media message, the prime minister urged the elected representatives to visit Panah Gahs (shelter homes) in their areas and share meals with the people using them. This, he said, would sensitise them to the issues faced by the society’s bottom tier. The prime minister said he will personally monitor effectiveness of the government’s poverty alleviation jihad in the coming months.

The Khan, who has been visiting the Panah Gahs regularly, also visited the same facility in Rawalpindi early this week. He checked the facilities being provided to the poorest of the poor and issued instructions to the administration for improvement.