Indian military aircraft violated the Line of Control (LoC) as they "intruded" from the Muzafarabad sector and were forced to return owing to the timely response of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said early Tuesday.
The Indian aircraft "released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot".
There were "no casualties or damage", director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wrote on Twitter.
Indian aircrafts intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage.
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 26, 2019
Maj Gen Ghafoor tweeted images of the "payload of hastily escaping Indian aircraft" which "fell in open".
Payload of hastily escaping Indian aircrafts fell in open. pic.twitter.com/8drYtNGMsm
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 26, 2019
Earlier, he had said: "Indian Air Force violated Line of Control. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircraft gone back. Details to follow."
Indian Air Force violated Line of Control. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircrafts gone back. Details to follow.
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 25, 2019
The incursion into the Pakistan air space follows a series of threats by Indian political and military leadership following the attack on an Indian Army convoy at Pulwama by a local youth, in reaction to the oppression unleashed by the occupational forces.
On Monday, DG ISPR had said, "Pakistan Armed Forces are fully prepared for a befitting response to any Indian aggression or misadventure".
Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had visited the Air Headquarters a day earlier and "deliberated on operational environment including threat and response" with the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), according to Maj Gen Ghafoor,.
"Both chiefs expressed satisfaction on readiness, coordination and synergy. Pakistan Armed Forces are fully prepared for a befitting response to any Indian aggression or misadventure," he had said.
General Bajwa, who also visited Headquarters Rawalpindi Corps, was updated by the Commander there "on operational situation & state of readiness along Line of Actual Contact (LAC), Line of Control and Working Boundary (WB)."
"COAS expressed satisfaction on the state of preparations & readiness," Maior General Ghafoor had tweeted.
Prior to that, on Sunday, Gen Bajwa had visited troops along the working boundary near Sialkot and had said there was nothing more sacred than defending the motherland.
“I take pride in leading an Army which is ever ready to perform this duty,” the Army chief had stated.
On the same day, Air chief Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan had said the PAF was always ready to fight any act of aggression as per the nation’s expectations.
A PAF spokesperson had said the air chief visited the forward operating bases, where he interacted with the crew as well.
Air Marshal Khan had said Pakistan was a peace-loving nation but if war is imposed on them, then they know how to protect borders.
Prime Minister Imran Khan in a televised address to the nation last Tuesday warned India to desist from any misadventure and said it was easy to start a war, but then no one has the control on how to end it.
In categorical terms Imran Khan said "we will not think of retaliating, we will retaliate.
We will have no other option other than retaliating."
PM Imran said Pakistan wanted peace with India and had nothing to gain from the incident. He offered to cooperate if any evidence was shared.
