Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed what he called a “great victory” for the nation’s armed forces on Wednesday, following what officials described as a major air incursion attempt by the Indian Air Force.
Addressing a session of the National Assembly, Sharif claimed that India launched airstrikes using 80 fighter jets targeting six locations in Pakistan, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Bahawalpur, Shakargarh, and Sialkot, during the night of May 7.
According to Sharif, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) responded with force, shooting down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafale fighter jets—one of which reportedly crashed in India’s Bathinda district—as well as several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
“Our armed forces have shown professionalism, patriotism, and unity in action,” Sharif told lawmakers. “They acted decisively after thorough planning and consultation, delivering a devastating response that created confusion in Indian military ranks.”
The Prime Minister also claimed that Pakistan’s air defense forces managed to jam Indian communication systems, forcing many jets to retreat to Srinagar in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
“This is a reminder to India of Pakistan’s strength and resolve as a nuclear-armed nation,” he said, adding that Pakistani forces had the capability to down even more aircraft if necessary.
Sharif concluded by congratulating the people of Pakistan and reaffirming his government’s support for the military, praising the armed forces for ensuring the country’s sovereignty and national defense.
There has been no official response from New Delhi as of this publication, though tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have been steadily escalating following India’s Operation Sindoor, a series of strikes New Delhi claimed were aimed at eliminating cross-border militant threats.
The international community continues to monitor the situation closely amid concerns over further escalation between the two South Asian rivals.
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