Poonch: A Pakistani helicopter crossed 700 metres into Indian air space along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch sector on Sunday afternoon.
According to reports from Pakistan, Pakistan administered Kashmir’s prime minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan was travelling in this chopper.
Pakistani news channel Aaj News said, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz leader was flying near the Tarori area in PaK to participate in a condolence meeting. News channel Ary News said Raja Farooq Haider Khan’s helicopter later landed safely.
Defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand said a white-coloured Pakistani helicopter had violated Indian airspace around noon on Sunday.
It entered around 700m inside the Indian territory and flew over Krishna Ghati sector before returning, he said.
Air sentries at forward locations had engaged it with small arms, a move intended to warn the pilot about the intrusion and force the chopper to turn back. The chopper wasn’t hit.
Defence sources said the chopper flew over Gulpur area across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Krishna Ghati sector at 12:13 pm before returning to Pakistani airspace.
A 30-second video of the chopper flying over Indian airspace was also released by news agency ANI.
The incident comes at a time when relations between the two neighbours are at a low.
Just an hour before the intrusion was reported on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly radio programme had underscored India’s commitment to peace and its commitment to take it forward but not at the cost of compromising our self-respect and sovereignty of our nation.
“It has now been decided that our soldiers will give a befitting reply to whosoever makes an attempt to destroy the atmosphere of peace and progress in our nation,” PM Modi said, a message that was widely seen to have been targeted at Pakistan.
