“I am astonished by the claim that 20% of Pakistan’s air force has been rendered unusable,” says the analyst
A Pakistan Air Force J-10 fighter aircraft. — Reuters
- Fair shocked by 20% damage claim.
- Airbases named include Sargodha, Jacobabad, and Bholari.
- No satellite proof of Pakistani losses.
US defence expert Dr C Christine Fair has rejected India’s claims of downing a Pakistani plane, labelling them as “nonsense”.
Fair, a political scientist specialising in safety, counterterrorism and South Asia, has been an open critic of Pakistan, which some on social media argue makes her dismissal of India’s claims in particular great.
She gave this feedback at the same time as appearing on Indian journalist Karan Thapar’s show on The Wire, ‘The Interview with Karan Thapar’.
Thapar had puzzled Fair regarding Indian Air Force Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal Bharti’s declaration that the Indian Air Force had downed an undisclosed wide variety of Pakistani jets.
In “Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, Jacobabad, and Bholari,” he additionally referred to “satellite tv for pc photographs suggesting extensive harm.” In reaction, Dr Fair stated there was “no evidence” of large destruction and categorically rejected claims that 20% of Pakistan’s air force was destroyed by India.
“There is simply no proof…. I am astonished by the claim that 20% of Pakistan’s air force has been rendered unusable. I’ve by no means heard that before. It’s quite an extraordinary claim and most false.”
When Thapar requested immediately, “Air Marshal Bharti has claimed that India has shot down an unspecified quantity of Pakistani air force planes…How do you view this declaration?” “Bakwas,” Fair replied, “there is no evidence for it.”