UPDATES WITH MORE PAKISTAN ARMY’S QUOTES</p> <p>ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) – Pakistan army on Wednesday claimed that the country’s air force has shot down two Indian fighter jets that crossed into Pakistani territory.</p> <p>"IAF [Indian Air Force] crossed LOC [Line of Control], PAF [Pakistan Air Force] shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace. One of the aircraft fell inside AJ&K while other fell inside IOK [Indian occupied Kashmir]," Pakistan army spokesman Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor said in a Twitter post, referring to the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.</p> <p>Later, speaking to reporters, Ghafoor said: "Two Indian pilots were arrested by troops on ground, one of them in injured condition and has been shifted to a military hospital," he added.</p> <p>Pakistan forces engaged with six targets at the LoC — a de facto border that divides the disputed Kashmir Valley between the two countries — and shot down the Indian aircraft when they crossed into Pakistani territory, he added.</p> <p>"No human life was effected during our action, we shot the target in open place," the army spokesman said.</p> <p>He said the sole purpose of the action was to demonstrate “our right and show our capability and capacity.”</p> <p>"We can do everything but do not want to escalate or go into the war," the army spokesman said, adding: “No issue could resolve through war, dialogue is always the way to resolve issue and Pakistan is following that way.”</p> <p>Responding to a question regarding today’s meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) and possible use of nuclear weapons, Ghafoor rejected the option, saying: "I have always said we must not talk about this, it’s insane to talk about this." </p> <p><br></p> <p>- Claims of shooting down Pakistani F-16</p> <p>Meanwhile, Indian Today, a broadcaster, claimed in a report that Indian forces have shot down a Pakistani F-16 that “violated Indian airspace”.</p> <p>The tension between the two nuclear neighbors has raised after Indian jets intruded into Pakistan's airspace on early Tuesday.</p> <p>India had claimed that “several terrorists” were killed in "preemptive action" on the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camp inside Pakistan.</p> <p>The Pakistani civil and military officials have rejected the claim.</p> <p>Earlier, in a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said that Pakistan Air Force undertook strikes across Line of Control from within Pakistani airspace.</p> <p>"This was not a retaliation to continued Indian belligerence. Pakistan has taken strikes at non-military target, avoiding human loss and collateral damage," the statement said. </p> <p>“We have no intention of escalation, but are fully prepared to do so if forced into that paradigm,” it added. </p> <p>The statement explained that Pakistan undertook the action with “clear warning and in broad daylight.”</p> <p>"For the last few years, India has been trying to establish what they call “a new normal” a thinly veiled term for doing acts of aggression at whatever pretext they wish on a given day," it said.</p> <p>“If India is striking at so called terrorist backers without a shred of evidence, we also retain reciprocal rights to retaliate against elements that enjoy Indian patronage while carrying out acts of terror in Pakistan,” the Foreign Ministry warned.</p> <p>However, it said that they do not wish to go to that route and wish that India gives peace a chance and to resolve issues like a mature democratic nation.
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