ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Saturday firmly denied recent statements by the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, who claimed that six Pakistani fighter jets were destroyed during May’s clashes. Asif called the allegations both “unbelievable” and “poorly timed.”
In an official statement, the minister criticised the delayed nature of the remarks, saying:
“The belated assertions regarding the supposed destruction of Pakistani aircraft during Operation Sindoor are as implausible as they are ill-timed.”
He argued that senior Indian military officials were being presented as the face of what he described as a “monumental failure” caused by the short-sighted strategies of Indian politicians. Asif noted that for three months after the confrontation, no such claims had surfaced.
According to the minister, Pakistan had promptly shared detailed technical briefings with international media immediately after the incident, and independent military analysts acknowledged the loss of several Indian aircraft — including Rafale jets. These assessments, he added, were supported by global leaders, Indian political figures, and foreign intelligence agencies.
Rejecting India’s narrative outright, Asif asserted that not a single Pakistani aircraft was damaged or destroyed. On the contrary, he claimed Pakistan’s forces successfully shot down six Indian jets, destroyed S-400 air defence systems and unmanned aerial vehicles, and disabled multiple Indian airbases. He further alleged that Indian losses along the Line of Control were “significantly heavier” than reported.
Challenging India to transparency, Asif proposed that both countries allow an independent verification of their aircraft inventories. “Such an audit,” he said, “would expose the truth India is trying to conceal.”
He cautioned New Delhi that wars are not won by propaganda, but by moral strength, national unity, and professional military capability. He also warned that politically motivated falsehoods could escalate tensions in a nuclear-armed region.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s defence stance, Asif stated that any breach of the country’s sovereignty — as demonstrated during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos — would be met with a swift and proportionate response, and the responsibility for any resulting escalation would lie solely with “strategically blind” leaders in India who endanger South Asia’s stability for short-term political advantage.
