Twitter in fits over Indian claim of Abhinandan 'downing PAF F-16'

Pakistanis didn't waste much time before hilariously calling Indian media out for propagating the 2019 incident

Indian Air Force pilot Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman was accorded the Vir Chakra by President Ram Nath Kovind in an investiture ceremony on Monday, reported Indian media. The IAF pilot was awarded the honour for 'downing Pakistani F-16 plane in 2019.'

However, the aforementioned claim was earlier rubbished after Pakistan invited US officials to physically count the F-16 planes after the February 27 air battle, the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine reported in an exclusive report the same year.

The US defence officials confirmed that none of the F-16 jets in the PAF fleet is missing. And then when Delhi scurried to jot down a flimsy rebuttal, the Pakistani military revealed more proof to dismantle the very basis of the Indian claim.

As the Indian govt 'honoured' Abhinandan over fake gallantry, Pakistani Twitter didn't waste much time before hilariously calling them out over the propaganda. Here are a few responses that made us chuckle. 

Of course, there were memes: 

This guy? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/xa3pioZLOx pic.twitter.com/7jAmtiY3kb

— aزmaر (@khannnazmar) November 22, 2021

https://t.co/9s2DDVF9xJ pic.twitter.com/dlumvjpSOc

— Arsalan Khattak (@lapulgaprop) November 22, 2021

Abhinandan: https://t.co/qBoMmtGzFm pic.twitter.com/KINhXB73Ka

— Shumail (@Shumyl) November 22, 2021

https://t.co/fooZN0AKNz pic.twitter.com/iwRM0zBuVd

— اسریٰ (@freakonomist5) November 22, 2021

Some fair points were made: 

Is this for real? Award for drinking tea in Pakistani custody ? #paralleluniverse https://t.co/2FWr8fNTa8

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) November 22, 2021

Fantastic 😂 Actually I feel for Abhinandan. Just because of @narendramodi and Indian media denial of the defeat and embarrassment they had bk then, poor Abhinandan is reminded of the episode every second month. https://t.co/tXTDHihrT7 pic.twitter.com/204G0RTIxL

— Dr Arslan Khalid (@arslankhalid_m) November 22, 2021

 

Should also award Kohli for beating Pakistan in the WC match. https://t.co/4jqo2S8ema

— Hasan (@Hasan_Mah_Malik) November 22, 2021

Abhinandan who failed his mission, got caught and was sent back by Pakistan.
Indian government: tu humara hero hai! Teray ko nahi pata par tu hai! https://t.co/81SHDmbLDc

— Asad Sultan (@AsadSultan18) November 22, 2021

India is probably the only country that rewards catastrophic failures, national humiliation and hate crimes. Why else would a pilot captured by Pakistan and beaten by mob after his jet was shot down by PAF would get an award? https://t.co/istGmhDkOR

— Sana Jamal (@Sana_Jamal) November 22, 2021

Is it an imaginary award, just like the F-16 was an imaginary plane? https://t.co/egrYNQe9YT

— Bina Shah (@BinaShah) November 22, 2021

Govt by, of and for WhatsApp. https://t.co/YxxegTG8ZP

— Kapil Khattar (@khattar_kapil) November 22, 2021

Just laughable. https://t.co/UHD6zkXFrU

— Mushtaq Sayed (@mushtaqueasayed) November 22, 2021

On February 27, Pakistan Air Force fighter jets shot down two Indian warplanes after they intruded into its airspace while responding to a Pakistani aerial mission on targets inside Indian Occupied Kashmir and arrested one Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.

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