Pakistan readied battle plans after Uri, says air chief

Sohail Aman says Nigeria, Qatar and Turkey have entered deals to purchase Pakistan’s Mashshak aircraft

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman on Thursday said Pakistan was “not worried about India at all”.

“India should show restraint and instead solve the issue of Kashmir as that would be better for them,” the air chief said as he spoke at 9th International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS).



He said Pakistan had “readied” its battle plans after “threats from India” after the attack in Uri sector. The air force chief also warned the neighbour against “acts of aggression”, as tensions escalate in the Subcontinent.

Aman said Pakistan could not ignore this kind of pressure. “We are well capable of responding in the face of any aggression,” he said. The PAF chief reassured the nation that Pakistan Air Force was very much capable of and ready to respond to any hostile activity.



Similarly, he continued, Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy were fully equipped and in high spirit and the enemy should understand our capacity and courage.

The air force chief also said that IDEAS 2016 is a combined effort of the armed forces and the government of Pakistan for self-dependence, by growing the local defence production industry instead of looking towards others for the country’s defence requirements.

He said all legal formalities, including acquiring of land, for the aviation city had been completed. “The aviation city, being set up at Kamra, would be a complete education and research city and would emerge as the centre of excellence for entire South Asia.

About Super Mushshak aircraft, the air chief said it had gained popularity in the world. “Many countries had shown interest in it. Nigeria, Qatar and Turkey had entered deals to purchase Mashshak aircraft.”

“Soon, we are going to engage in talks with some countries and hope, there may be good deal on JF-17,” he revealed to the media. He said the PAC was also upgrading JF-17 Thunder to make it more effective for the country’s defence; rather to get a good share in international defence market.



At the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex stall, Air Marshall Aman witnessed the ceremony of signing MoU between the PAC and a French company manufacturing defence products.

Air Commodore Waqar Haider and French company’s representative Julius signed the MoU. Under the agreement, the French company will extend technical support/expertise to upgrade PAF’s airbuses and other aircraft, etc., to French standard. (With additional input from Associated Press of Pakistan)

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2016.