Update: Pakistani officials make conflicting claims about capability of downing US drones

by hussain | November 25, 2008 at 02:12 am

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As the chief of Pakistan Air Force belied claims of some of the Pakistani ministers that the country was incapable of downing the US drones and said his force was capable of challenging the violators of the country's airspace, the unmanned aerial vehicles operated by the CIA from Afghanistan again flew over North and South Waziristan tribal regions of the country on Tuesday.
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshall Tanvir Mahmood said his force was capable of stopping drone flights and missile strikes but it is up to the government to decide about taking the bull by the horns or otherwise.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshall, Tanvir Mahmood has said that Pakistan Air Force is fully capable to stop drones’ flights and missile strikes.
He said that it was now up to the government to decide whether it wanted to benefit from our capabilities or ready to fight a war with the aggressors.

Air Chief Marshall made these remarks, while speaking to newsmen during IDEAS 2008 defence equipments exhibition at the Expo Center in Karachi.

He said most of the fighter aircrafts of Pakistan Air Force would reach to their life in next few years after which JF-17 thunder fighters would be added to fill the gap.

The fighter jets of Pakistan Air Force are fully capable to carry all warheads, he commented.

U.S. drones made low flights in tribal areas of Pakistan. According to sources, U.S. drones made flights in North and South Waziristan created anger among the tribal. Local tribesmen opened fire at the U.S. drones.

On the other hand, the defence minister of Pakistan reiterated on Tuesday his earlier stance that the country lacks what he called the modern technology required to down the drones. He had stated the same thing about the drone attacks a few months ago.

Amazingly, the reports stated a few days ago that the air defence units of the Pakistan Army had practiced downing of drones in a desert area of the country. However, the military had stated later that the exercise was not drones-specific but a practice to use the indigenously developed ground-to-air missile.

Defence Minister, Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar has said that a crucial meeting of all the parties including the opposition has been called on December 2 for evolving a collective strategy against attacks from across the border, while the action against the drones required modern technology.
He told this on the sidelines of the 40th passing out parade of the Airport Security Force here. He said that undoubtedly, Pakistan’s sovereignty was uppermost under all circumstances and added that action against the drones flying at very high altitude direly required latest technology, for which, friendly countries have been approached. He said that that budget of the armed forces was not being slashed, as the depreciation of rupee has already affected a cut in their budget. He said that the greatest danger to Pakistan was from Al Qaeda, as they have no regard for us.
Federal minister said that there was no program for the sale of PIA owned New York Roosevelt Hotel and the Hotel in Paris. He further said that the government would not provide any more fund to PIA. Addressing the passing out parade, he said that the government was determined to wipe out all sorts of terrorism and Pakistan’s land would not be allowed to use against any other country.