thestringshredder
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NEW DELHI: The border between India and Pakistan seems to be turning red-hot. Even as the spate in ceasefire violations continue, Pakistan on Tuesday morning scrambled jets after it claimed two Indian MiG-21 fighters had violated its airspace, and lodged a complaint with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
India, however, said there was "no actual or physical violation'' of Pakistani airspace in the incident which took place in the Abohar sector of Punjab at about 10.40 am. "The IAF aircraft, which were on a routine flying training sortie, seem to have flown close to the border and it appears to be a technical violation. The same has also been conveyed to the Pakistan authorities,'' said an official.
The term "technical violation'' has been used because India and Pakistan have a bilateral agreement since 1991 which lays down that ``combat aircraft'' like fighters, bombers, jet military trainers, reconnaissance planes and armed helicopters won't fly within 10-km of each other's airspace.
While this means there is a 10-km buffer zone on both sides of the border, it is fairly common for both the air forces to fly close to each other's territory to "probe'' the rival's air defence measures as well as the "reaction time" for them to kick in.
Pakistan seems to have scrambled their jets after the two MiG-21s, which had taken off from the Bhatinda airbase, flew close to the border in the Abohar-Attari (Fazilka) sectors. Pakistan Air Force spokesperson Captain Tariq Mehmood was quoted as saying the two Indian jets had intruded into Indian airspace by "three nautical miles (5.5 km)'' and remained there for two minutes before returning.
Islamabad expressed "serious concerns" over alleged air space violation by Indian fighter aircraft as it took up the matter with the Indian High Commission. Pakistan told Indian officials that it considers the air space violation as a contravention of the "1991 Agreement between Pakistan and India on Prevention of Air Space Violations and for Permitting over Flights and Landings by Military Aircraft".
"The foreign ministry has conveyed serious concern to the Indian High Commission over the airspace violation by two Indian high speed (fighter) aircraft that had intruded 4 kilometres into the Head Sulemanki area at 1040 hours this (Tuesday) morning," it said in a statement.
"While voicing its concerns with the Government of India, the Government of Pakistan calls upon it to respect all existing agreements and CBMs that have been reached between the two countries," it added.
Soon after this incident, Pakistani troops opened fire at Indian posts in the Nangi Tikri area along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu & Kashmir for the second time in less than 24 hours. "Indian troops retaliated in a calibrated manner. There was no casualty in the firing that intermittently lasted for over an hour. Pakistan has violated the ceasefire 35 times since January,'' said an officer.
An Indian junior commissioned officer was killed last Friday after Pakistani troops targeted the Lunawali post in Saujian area of Poonch sector with small arms fire and under-barrel grenade launchers (UBGLs).
The last major violation of the ceasefire - which came into force in November 2003 -- had taken place on May 24 when two Indian officers, including a Brigadier, and a jawan were injured in firing in the Naugam sector. Indian Army officials often accuse Pakistani troops of giving "covering fire'' to militants trying to infiltrate into India across the LoC.
A major flare-up had occurred earlier this year, with the two armies exchanging heavy fire for around 10 days, after the Pakistani Army "regulars'' with some LeT militants crossed over into the Mendhar sector in J&K and beheaded an Indian soldier and mutilated the body of another on January 8.
Link - Two Indian MiG-21s in 'technical violation’ of Pak airspace - The Times of India
India, however, said there was "no actual or physical violation'' of Pakistani airspace in the incident which took place in the Abohar sector of Punjab at about 10.40 am. "The IAF aircraft, which were on a routine flying training sortie, seem to have flown close to the border and it appears to be a technical violation. The same has also been conveyed to the Pakistan authorities,'' said an official.
The term "technical violation'' has been used because India and Pakistan have a bilateral agreement since 1991 which lays down that ``combat aircraft'' like fighters, bombers, jet military trainers, reconnaissance planes and armed helicopters won't fly within 10-km of each other's airspace.
While this means there is a 10-km buffer zone on both sides of the border, it is fairly common for both the air forces to fly close to each other's territory to "probe'' the rival's air defence measures as well as the "reaction time" for them to kick in.
Pakistan seems to have scrambled their jets after the two MiG-21s, which had taken off from the Bhatinda airbase, flew close to the border in the Abohar-Attari (Fazilka) sectors. Pakistan Air Force spokesperson Captain Tariq Mehmood was quoted as saying the two Indian jets had intruded into Indian airspace by "three nautical miles (5.5 km)'' and remained there for two minutes before returning.
Islamabad expressed "serious concerns" over alleged air space violation by Indian fighter aircraft as it took up the matter with the Indian High Commission. Pakistan told Indian officials that it considers the air space violation as a contravention of the "1991 Agreement between Pakistan and India on Prevention of Air Space Violations and for Permitting over Flights and Landings by Military Aircraft".
"The foreign ministry has conveyed serious concern to the Indian High Commission over the airspace violation by two Indian high speed (fighter) aircraft that had intruded 4 kilometres into the Head Sulemanki area at 1040 hours this (Tuesday) morning," it said in a statement.
"While voicing its concerns with the Government of India, the Government of Pakistan calls upon it to respect all existing agreements and CBMs that have been reached between the two countries," it added.
Soon after this incident, Pakistani troops opened fire at Indian posts in the Nangi Tikri area along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu & Kashmir for the second time in less than 24 hours. "Indian troops retaliated in a calibrated manner. There was no casualty in the firing that intermittently lasted for over an hour. Pakistan has violated the ceasefire 35 times since January,'' said an officer.
An Indian junior commissioned officer was killed last Friday after Pakistani troops targeted the Lunawali post in Saujian area of Poonch sector with small arms fire and under-barrel grenade launchers (UBGLs).
The last major violation of the ceasefire - which came into force in November 2003 -- had taken place on May 24 when two Indian officers, including a Brigadier, and a jawan were injured in firing in the Naugam sector. Indian Army officials often accuse Pakistani troops of giving "covering fire'' to militants trying to infiltrate into India across the LoC.
A major flare-up had occurred earlier this year, with the two armies exchanging heavy fire for around 10 days, after the Pakistani Army "regulars'' with some LeT militants crossed over into the Mendhar sector in J&K and beheaded an Indian soldier and mutilated the body of another on January 8.
Link - Two Indian MiG-21s in 'technical violation’ of Pak airspace - The Times of India
