Pakistan used unsuspecting civilian planes as shield to launch failed drone attack: India

NEW DELHI: India on Friday accused Pakistan of using civilian planes as shield for its unprovoked aerial intrusions and to launch its failed drone and missile attack on Thursday evening with the intention of targeting military infrastructure. "Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on May 7 at 8.30 hours in the evening.Pakistan used civil airliner as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners including the international flights which were flying near IB between India and Pakistan," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said in their briefing on the latest developments at the border. "Indian Air force demonstrated considerable restraint in its response thus ensuring safety of international civil carriers," they said.During the briefing, India showed evidence of civil airlines flying on air route between Karachi and Lahore at the time of its failed aerial offensive against India."The screenshot we just showed shows the data of the application flight radar 24 during a high air defence alert situation in the Punjab sector. As you have seen, the airspace on the Indian side is absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said."However, there are civil airlines flying the air route between Karachi and Lahore. Amongst the other civil aircraft that you can see, we have highlighted an aircraft which is Airbus 320 of Flynas Aviation which was originated from Dammam at 1750 hours and landed later at Lahore at 2110 hours in the night. Indian Air force demonstrated considerable restraint in its response thus ensuring safety of international civil carriers," she added.