Pakistan Army says it shot down small Indian surveillance drone

Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday claimed that it shot down a small Indian surveillance drone for allegedly violating airspace along the Line of Control.

According to a statement by the Pakistan Army, the Indian Quadcopter in a provocative act intruded 600 meters inside across the LoC on the Pakistani side in Sankh sector for surveillance.

This blatant act was aggressively responded to by Pakistan Army troops shooting down Indian quadcopter, according to the Pakistan Army.

Such unwarranted acts by the Indian Army were a clear violation of established norms, existing air agreement between two countries, it said.

The intrusion reflects the Indian Army’s consistent disregard to the ceasefire understanding of 2003, it said.

Pakistan has previously claimed to have shot down Indian drones. Pakistan in March last year claimed to have shot down an Indian spy drone long the Line of Control.

The relations between the two nations strained following the Balakot strike when the Indian Air Force jets bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Pakistan on February 26 last year to avenge the killing of 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in the Pulwama terror attack on February 14. Pakistan retaliated on February 27 by attempting to target Indian military installations.

The ties further nose-dived after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir in August last. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations with India and expelled Indian High Commissioner.