NUCLEAR POWERS ON BRINK OF WAR
World holds its breath after Pakistan ‘downs pair of Indian jets’ – and bloodied pilot is paraded on camera
‘Use our heads and act with wisdom’
PAKISTAN desperately tried to ease tensions with India yesterday after downing two of its neighbour’s jets.
Prime minister Imran Khan offered talks, saying two days of military action must not lead to war between the nuclear powers.
His offer of dialogue came after Pakistan’s information ministry published a video showing a captured Indian pilot who was blindfolded and bloodied. The provocative footage was later deleted – but only after being shown on state-run news programmes.
Another video circulating on social media appeared to show the pilot being beaten by a mob before the arrival of Pakistani soldiers.
Delhi admitted one of its MiG fighters had been shot down and a pilot was missing. It said its planes had destroyed a Pakistan air force jet – a claim denied by officials in Islamabad.
The foreign ministry in Delhi demanded the immediate release of its pilot and condemned the release of videos showing the captured man, saying they were a ‘vulgar display’ which violated international humanitarian law and the Geneva convention.
Pakistan had vowed to retaliate after India launched airstrikes against a terror training camp inside its neighbour’s territory – the first such attacks across the Line of Control, which splits the disputed Kashmir region, since 1971.
Mr Khan said both sides must now step back from any further action that might trigger fullscale war. In a televised address he said: ‘From here, it is imperative that we use our heads and act with wisdom. All wars are miscalcu- lated and no one knows where they lead to. I ask India: with the weapons you have and the weapons we have, can we really afford a miscalculation?’
A White House National Security Council official said the United States was deeply concerned, adding: ‘The potential risks associated with further military action by either side are unacceptably high for both countries, their neighbours and the international community.’ In Britain, Theresa May called for ‘restraint on both sides to avoid further escalation’.
On Tuesday, Indian fighter jets unleashed air strikes near the town of Balakot, inside undisputed Pakistani territory and around 30 miles from long-disputed Kashmir.
India claimed the area was being used as a training camp for Jaish- e-Mohammed. The militant group had claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing against an Indian military convoy in the Pulwama district of Kashmir, which cost 44 lives on February 14.
India said the group was planning further attacks and the preemptive strike was ‘absolutely necessary’ to protect itself.
Pakistan angrily denied the site was a terrorist camp and threatened to retaliate.
Yesterday morning it bombed non-military sites in Indian- controlled areas of Kashmir.
India scrambled its MiG jets in response and two were shot down after they crossed into Pakistani airspace, according to Islamabad.
One video posted on social media showed a downed pilot being beaten by Kashmiri villagers until a Pakistani soldier stepped in to shield him, shouting ‘enough’.
In another video, posted on Twitter by Pakistan’s information ministry but later deleted, the pilot was shown blindfolded as he gave his name, rank, service number and religion before refusing to answer further questions, saying: ‘I’m sorry sir, that’s all I’m supposed to tell you.’ A later video showed him without the blindfold and sipping tea. He said he had been treated well by the Pakistani soldiers. The pilot was named in the Indian media as Abhinandan Varthama. Supporters gathered outside his home in southern India.
Pakistan has closed its entire airspace, forcing international flights to divert and reroute. At least nine airports in northern India were also closed. The international community called for calm and Iran offered to mediate in talks between the two neighbours. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis were continuing round the clock.
He added: ‘We should not underestimate the dangers in this situation. You have two nuclear powers who have a long history of tension squaring up against each
other and now the start of some kind of military conflict. It’s an extremely dangerous situation.’
There were calls for further military action from rightwing politicians in India, but prime minister Narendra Modi made no comment on the latest dramatic events or Mr Khan’s offer of dialogue. Indian foreign minister Shushma Swaraj said her country would act with responsibility and restraint, adding: ‘India does not wish to see further escalation of the situation.’ However, both sides continued to launch shells across the Line of Control. Four Pakistani civilians were killed and ten injured on Tuesday. Five Indian soldiers were also hurt.
Those living along the border have been urged to leave their homes.