Wreckage of Pakistani F-16 seen in PoK; photo also shows Commanding Officer of its 7 Northern Light Infantry

Soon after photos of the wreckage of a fighter jet began circulating on social media, multiple Indian Air Force (IAF) sources confirmed that the debris, in fact, belonged to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) F-16 that was downed by Indian forces on Wednesday, reports ANI. The photo also shows the Commanding Officer of  Pakistan’s 7 Northern Light Infantry in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Sources: Picture of portion of downed Pakistani Air Force jet F16 from yesterday’s failed PAF raid, wreckage was in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Also seen in pic, Commanding Officer of Pakistan’s 7 Northern Light Infantry. pic.twitter.com/weYcB0G5eD

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2019

While there was some initial confusion, with some people trying to claim that this was part of an Indian MiG fighter which was shot at by PAF, IAF sources later clarified it as the wreckage of the Pakistani F-16. 

Same picture circulating on social media claim this is an Indian MiG fighter, however multiple IAF sources confirm this is the wreckage of Pakistani F16 downed yesterday https://t.co/C7t5lYtP51

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2019

Top Indian officials on Wednesday had said one Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 jet that violated Indian air space in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district was shot down in retaliatory firing, three kilometres within Pakistan territory in Lam valley, along the Line of Control.

The jets were immediately pushed back by Indian aircraft on air patrol, a top official had reiterated. Police sources had also said that Pakistani jets dropped bombs on their way out at Nadian, Lam Jhangar, and Kerri in Rajouri district and Hamirpur area of Bhimber Galli in Poonch of the Indian territory.

File picture of cross section of F16 engine and wreckage of downed Pakistani F16 jet pic.twitter.com/Mq78QkLTz9

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2019

A parachute was later spotted going down across the Line of Control but the condition of the PAF pilot is still not known.

This action had come a day after the IAF carried out air strikes in the wee hours of Tuesday morning on Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camps in Balakot, Muzaffarabad and Chakoti.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had on Wednesday further confirmed that the Pakistani warplane was shot down by the IAF after it attempted to target military establishments in Jammu and Kashmir.

It was earlier reported that three PAF jets attempted to violate the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch and Nowshera sectors but were chased away by Indian combat air patrol team.

The Pakistan government, however, claimed in a statement that its air force undertook strikes on the Indian side of the Line of Control “from within Pakistani airspace” and for “self-defence”. It denied that the F-16 was shot down.