Asif rubbishes Indian air chief’s 'implausible, ill-timed' claims of shooting down Pakistani jets

Islamabad (Web Desk): Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Saturday dismissed as baseless and absurd the Indian Air Force chief’s recent remarks regarding the alleged downing of Pakistani aircraft during Operation Sindoor.

Terming the claims as "false, ridiculous and far from truth," the minister criticized the Indian narrative as a desperate attempt to rewrite history with fabricated success.

In a post shared on X, Asif remarked, “It is also ironic how senior Indian military officers are being used as the faces of monumental failure caused by strategic shortsightedness of Indian politicians.

"He underscored the suspicious timing of these assertions, noting that no such claims were made for over three months following the operation, during which Pakistan had provided detailed briefings to global media outlets.

Asif emphasized that, contrary to India’s belated statements, “Not a single Pakistani aircraft was hit or destroyed by Indian. Pakistan destroyed 6 Indian jets, S400 air defence batteries and unmanned aircraft of India while swiftly putting several Indian airbases out of action.” 

“The belated assertions made by the Indian Air Force Chief regarding alleged destruction of Pakistani aircraft during Operation Sindoor are as implausible as they are ill-timed. It is also ironic how senior Indian military officers are being used as the faces of monumental…

— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) August 9, 2025

He asserted that international observers, foreign intelligence reports, and even some senior Indian figures had acknowledged India’s significant losses, including high-value assets like Rafale jets.

The defence minister further pointed out the asymmetrical nature of battlefield losses, stating, “The losses on the Line of Control for Indian armed forces were disproportionately heavier as well.” Challenging India’s version of events, he proposed a transparent audit of both air forces' inventories by neutral parties.

“If the truth is in question, let both sides open their aircraft inventories to independent verification—though we suspect this would lay bare the reality India seeks to obscure. Wars are not won by falsehoods but by moral authority, national resolve and professional competence,” he wrote.

Asif warned that such misleading narratives, manufactured for internal political mileage, pose serious risks in an already volatile, nuclear-armed region.

“Such comical narratives, crafted for domestic political expediency, increase the grave risks of strategic miscalculation in a nuclearised environment,” he stated, cautioning against the consequences of reckless political behavior.

“As demonstrated during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, every violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will invite swift, surefire and proportionate response, and responsibility for any ensuing escalation will rest entirely with strategically blind leaders who gamble with South Asia’s peace for fleeting political gains.”

The defense minister warned that misleading statements from Indian leadership could escalate nuclear tensions in the region.

He reiterated the stance that Pakistan will respond swiftly and decisively to any violation of its sovereignty.