#IndiaStrikesBack: How Pakistani media remained in denial mode

Twelve days after the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed, India on Tuesday carried out airstrikes targeting terror camps in Balakot in Pakistan.

IAF sources said a dozen Mirage 2000 fighter jets struck a major terrorist camp across the LoC and completely destroyed it. The strike was carried out at 3:30 am on Tuesday, sources said. 

Sources said 200-300 terrorists are estimated to have been killed in the strikes.

Also Read: India strikes back: IAF enters deep into Pak territory, 350 JeM terrorists killed while sleeping

However, Pakistani media remains in denial mode after Indian forces conducted airstrike in Balakot area. The Pakistani media reported the strike but in twisted manner. 

Pakistan's leading media organisation, The Dawn, used “Indian aircraft violate LoC, scramble back after PAF's timely response: ISPR", headline on its news portal.

The Dawn quoted Balakot police chief Saghir Hussain Shah as saying that he had sent teams to the site which was mostly a "deserted wooded area: and found "no casualties or damages on the ground because of the dropping of the bombs”. 

Also Read: Major terrorist camps wiped out in 21-minute operation: How IAF's Mirage 2000 jets carried out air strikes across LoC

Pakistan's yet another daily Express Tribune led with the following headline: “Pakistan chases away Indian jets after LoC violation.” The portal chose to extensively quote Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s statement that IAF action was a “violation of the Line of Control (LoC)”. He said Pakistan reserved the right to respond to the IAF fighter jets’ air strike".

The Daily Times focused on the meeting of Pakistani Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Chief of Air Staff Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan. 

Later, it released a statement that Pakistani armed forces were fully prepared to give a befitting response to any Indian “aggression or misadventure”. 

Samma TV, said that Pakistan Air Force succeeded in foiling India’s attempt to breach the LoC.

“India violated the Line of Control Monday night but their attempts to enter Pakistan were foiled by the Pakistan Air Force,” Samma TV reported.

The airstrike was carried out in less than two weeks after the Pulwama attack. On February 14, a suicide bomber driving a car packed with explosives rammed a bus carrying Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troops, killing 40 jawans.

 The convoy which was attacked on the Jammu-Srinagar highway had over 70 vehicles and more than 2,500 personnel. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group claimed responsibility for the terror attack.