Did Pakistan Shoot down its Own JF-17 over Multan this morning?
Has something significant happened over the Multan airport in Pakistan?
Business today reported sometime back that the entire airport and all the roads leading to it are in a lockdown.
The roads leading to the Multan Airport were put on lockdown and flights were suspended after reports of firing and explosions, news agency ANI reported. The report further said that a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was also issued on Monday morning for Multan International Airport.
“This Multan bound flight is not going towards Multan. Different social media accounts are claiming that sounds of heavy firing in Multan Airport Area can be heard. No confirmations,” Pakistani journalist Ahmad Noorani tweeted on Monday.
BT reported that one Pakistani journalist has said that there was a minor fire in an aircraft which was taken care of.
Meanwhile Dawn is calling it closure due to “operational reasons”.
Flight operations at the airport were suspended around 2:25am, a statement issued by the airport’s spokesperson said, explaining that the runway had to be shut down due to “operational reasons”.
And the official Pakistan Defence command handle on twitter is confirming that flight operations to Multan are suspended. And they had in a tweet earlier suggested that there were explosions and firing in Multan!
Flight Operations to #Multan Airport looks suspended. DIVERSION! pic.twitter.com/Ei4eASs1Ci
— Pakistan Defence Command (@PDCMDOfficial) March 24, 2019
On the other hand, twitter handle @TheIntelMonk has tweeted a video of a fire brigade near an aircraft while saying that:
Pakistan Air Force’s chinese Air Defence System shot down it’s own JF-17 Thunder jet by mistake in Multan.
PAF pilot WC Mahmood, (Gilgit) killed.
Pakistan Air Force's chinese Air Defence System shot down it's own JF-17 Thunder jet by mistake in Multan.
PAF pilot WC Mahmood, (Gilgit) killed. pic.twitter.com/po6vqSuud3
— The Intel Monk (@TheIntelMonk) March 25, 2019
Well, we know that just today, Pakistani paper The News reported that Pakistan had deployed the air defence system from China on its LOC.
Pakistan has deployed the Chinese-made medium-range air defence missiles in several cities and military bases to prevent possible new strikes by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Here are some more tweets from the twitterati.
Wow a jf 17 thunder was landing on #Multan civilian airport and the defense system on civilian airport shot it down lol Indians kaisy kar lety ho. Hahaha ni kaisy
— Muhammad Hammad (@a_nice_prson) March 25, 2019
JF-17 crash in MULTAN!!!
Early in the morning, at Al-Bakistan NOTAM was declared over Multan, after
a faulty #MadeInChina air defence system shot down PAF’s JF-17 Thunder fighter jet.
Terroristani authorities r working hard to push this news under the carpet. pic.twitter.com/xZEhHYRh5r— Chowkidar Defence360_Official (@Defence_360) March 25, 2019
As Major Gaurav Arya asked the question for the DG ISPR on it –
Hello @OfficialDGISPR, I know it’s not the right time to ask you such sensitive questions but would be grateful for a response. Is this news true? Apparently the pilot was one Late Wing Commander Mahmood. Also, don’t Chinese AD systems have IFF?
Info Curtesy: Chandravir Singh. pic.twitter.com/GvwoRVa4LL
— Major Gaurav Arya (Retd) (@majorgauravarya) March 25, 2019
Meanwhile DG ISPR has his own spin – which also adds more fuel to the whole fire.
#Multan#Again
JF-17 targeted Indian aircraft, says DG ISPR! pic.twitter.com/UewmrcIcO6— Armin (@armin___armin) March 25, 2019
So the question is – has Pakistan again hit a self goal (like killing its own F-16 pilot) by hitting its own place? The Chinese air defence system hit the China made fighter plane?! That is one heck of an offensive and defensive mechanism for self destruction!
Or it is the nerves of Pakistan defence personnel cracking up?