ACROSS UNFRIENDLY SKIES

10:00-10:30am: Indian Air Force (IAF) spots and engages incoming group of 12 Pakistani Air Force (PAF) jets. The dogfight is believed to have lasted 10 minutes before intruders were chased out.

10:56am: Civilians in Budgam in Kashmir report a crash, initially believed to be a fighter jet. It is later identified as an Mi-17 helicopter. All 6 on-board and a civilian are killed. Incident not linked to the PAF operation.

11:06am: Quoting unnamed officials, PTI issues first of reports of the PAF operation in Indian airspace.

11:26am: Civilian air traffic to and from Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar, Jammu and Leh airports suspended.

11:49am: Pakistani officials confirm PAF operation and say two Indian combat jets shot down in Pakistani airspace and they have detained one pilot.

11:59am: ANI, quoting unnamed officials, said PAF F-16 that violated Indian airspace shot down by Indian firing in Lam valley, Nowshera sector

12:09pm: FlightRadar24 reports flights between Indian and

Pakistani airspace being rerouted. By 12:30pm, officials in airports north of Delhi say all civilian ops suspended. In all, 9 airports are affected.

01:30pm: Pakistani army spokesperson says two pilots captured – one of them, he added, had been sent to hospital. At the same press conference, the official releases a video showing a blindfolded Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman identifying himself

1:47pm: Pakistan orders its entire airspace closed.

3:07pm: DGCA lifts curbs from the nine Indian airports where operations were halted.

3:20pm: In first official reaction to developments of the morning, Indian government says PAF jets attempted to bomb military targets. One MiG 21 was lost and the pilot is missing, it is informed

3:48pm: Pak PM Imran Khan in a televised address says PAF operation was “out of compulsion to demonstrate capabilities”. He says “better sense must prevail” and asks India to join talks

06:29pm: Pakistan Army retracts; says there is only one Indian pilot under its custody.

06:56pm: India demands from Pakistan immediate and safe return of its pilot, says Pakistan violated Geneva Conventions by releasing Varthaman’s video