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On February 27, 2019, the Pakistan Air Force’s Shaheen said he is always ready to answer the adversary and protect the nation of God.
India carried out a military operation in Pulwama on February 14, 2019, in an attempt to start a war with Pakistan. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a stern warning to Pakistan on February 15.
As a result of this event, today is known as Surprise Day. Two Indian planes were shot down, and a pilot was captured during the mission, which was called Operation Swift Retort.
Pakistan requested evidence from India concerning the Pulwama attack on February 16. On February 18, the country recalled its High Commission from India, causing diplomatic relations between the two countries to slump to a new low. On February 21, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both nations to hold meaningful negotiations.
That same day, Rawal Gandhi, the opposition leader in India, implored Modi to avoid politicizing the Pulwama incident.
On February 22nd, former Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa stated that dialogue rather than war should be the go-to solution but also left the hint that India would retaliate against any aggression.
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On February 26th, the Indian Air Force attempted to target a madrassa close to Balakot and claimed to have destroyed a suspected terrorist camp in Balakot and taken the lives of over 300 terrorists. Yet, India has not been able to provide any evidence of this to this day, and the Indian Mirage aircraft failed to hit its target.
In response to the Indian provocation, the ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, asserted that Pakistan would respond harshly to this aggression, and Pakistan’s will would determine the timing and place.
On February 27, Pakistan foiled India’s attempt to cross the LoC and shot down two of its aircraft. Indian pilot Abhinandan, who crashed in Pakistani territory, was taken captive.
Major General Asif Ghafoor, at the time, remarked that it was a deliberate option to avoid any military targets and restrict the damage. He added that one of the initially chosen targets was a military command center, but P AF Command chose not to attack it.
On March 1, the Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan, who was captured during a skirmish between India and Pakistan, was released by Pakistan through the Wagah border.
Pakistan’s handling of the situation was hailed as Surprise Day, and even Indian Prime Minister Modi had to commend the Pakistani military for its skill and tactics. He noted that the presence of Rafale fighter jets could have potentially changed the outcome of the conflict.
