MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas on Monday said that Feb 27 would remain a nightmare for India as on this day the armed forces of Pakistan had smashed New Delhi’s conceit about its military prowess.

“Today marks [the] 4th anniversary of the memorable day when Pakistan made India bite the dust, in a befitting response to its aggressive gestures. My tributes to our valiant armed forces who are fully capable of thwarting enemy’s evil designs and to my people who stand shoulder to shoulder with them,” he said in an early morning tweet to commemorate thedowning of an Indian jet and arrest of its pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman following a dogfightin AJK’s Samahni valley in 2019.

The “Swift Retort” action by Pakistan Air Force had followed an intrusion by Indian planes into the Pakistani airspace during which they had dropped theirpayloadin an uninhabitedarea near the town of Balakot in Mansehra district.

Referring to it in a separate statement, the AJK premier maintained that the ‘Eagles’ of Pakistan Air Force had proved their mettle in less than 24 hours and forced India to swallow its false pride.

“February 27 is a victory day for every Pakistani as it has made them proud of their armed forces... As long as Mr Abhinandan is alive, India will continue to lick its wounds,” he said.

The AJK premier warned that if India went for any misadventure like that of Feb 27, 2019, in future, it would have to pay for it dearly because the “fight would then be held on Indian soil.”

“Feb27 has once again proved that wars can be fought not just by military prowess but by courage, bravery, wisdom and determination which is the hallmark of the armed forces of Pakistan.”

“I firmly believe that Indian leadership will now hardly think of sending its planes in the Pakistani territory because incapable weaklings cannot compete with the fighters of an institution trained by [former air marshals] Asghar Khan and Noor Khan,” he said.

PM Ilyas made it clear that the Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control had deep affection for and attachment to Pakistan Army and added that India’s hegemonic approach was foredoomed to defeat and disaster at the hands of the people and the armed forces of Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2023