Pakistan said it shot down two Indian military aircraft over its territory and launched strikes in Indian-controlled Kashmir, while India said it had shot down a Pakistani fighter jet in the 'aerial encounter.'
Kabul - In the most ominous military confrontation between India and Pakistan since both tested nuclear weapons two decades ago, Pakistan said it shot down two Indian military aircraft over its territory Wednesday and launched strikes in Indian-controlled Kashmir, while India said it had shot down a Pakistani fighter jet in the "aerial encounter."
"Our action was only intended to convey that if you can come into our country, we can do the same," Khan said, referring to airstrikes by India on Tuesday and Pakistan's response on Wednesday. Addressing India, he said, "With the weapons you have and the weapons we have, can we really afford a miscalculation?"
Moeed Yusuf, a Pakistan expert at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, said he feared the conflict could escalate dangerously, in large part because neither Khan, who has been in office a few months, nor Modi, who is seeking re-election this spring, may be able to back down without losing domestic political stature.
Some Pakistani commentators, however, expressed concern that the situation could rapidly spiral out of control. Imad Zafar, a columnist writing in the Pakistan-based Express Tribune, said the Indian attack was a "trap" set by Modi that Pakistan should avoid. "A war between two nuclear-armed states can only bring destruction on both sides," he wrote, calling for dialogue. "We don't want war, India. Neither should you.
British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that he was "very concerned" about the rising tensions and that he had spoken with his Indian and Pakistani counterparts about it. "Neither side wants to see this escalate further, but this is going to take really critical restraint in the days ahead," he said. Russia's Foreign Ministry "expressed hope for the de-escalation of the situation.
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