The Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that Pakistan foiled India’s insidious designs through a calculated and valiant response, as the country celebrates the fourth anniversary of Operation Swift Retort, commonly referred to as “Surprise Day.”
This day commemorates the decisive response of Pakistan’s armed forces to Indian aggression on February 27, 2019.
CJCSC, Services Chiefs & AFs of Pak pay tribute to the resilience of nation & resolve of AFs displayed during Operation Swift Retort. Under the pretext of false flag Pulwama attack, India stage managed a cowardly attack on a fictitious target. 1/3
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) February 27, 2023
Chaudhry stressed that the Pakistan Armed Forces, despite being a peace-loving nation, are always ready to safeguard the country’s sovereignty.
On the anniversary, former prime minister Imran Khan recognized Pakistan’s achievement in conveying a clear message to India with a restrained military retaliation to the Indian Air Force’s incursion.
27 Feb 2019 our govt ordered response to Indian air strike on Balakot with PAF air strikes on Indian mly targets in IIOJK & the PAF downed an IAF plane over Pak air space capturing the pilot. We were successful in choosing a limited mly response signalling a clear msg to India.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 27, 2023
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also honored the Pakistan Air Force’s fitting response.
In addition,
On February 27, 2019, Operation Swift Retort marked a turning point for Pakistan, shattering India’s perception of military superiority.
India’s fighter jets breached the Line of Control, claiming to have conducted a “surgical strike” in the Balakot area of Pakistan, destroying a terrorist camp and inflicting heavy losses.
However, Pakistan refuted India’s assertions, with independent reports and high-resolution satellite images contradicting India’s claims.
Pakistan responded by sending PAF jets across the LoC, shooting down an Indian MiG-21 in a dogfight and capturing the Indian pilot after he ejected from his plane, which crashed on the Pakistani side of the border.
This unexpected turn of events exposed India’s overblown claims of military might. As Major General Chaudhry stated, the success of Operation Swift Retort demonstrated Pakistan’s determination and resilience to safeguard its territorial integrity.
Furthermore, This anniversary serves as a reminder that Pakistan’s Armed Forces are always prepared to defend their homeland.
Pavan Manzoor is an experienced content writer , editor and social media handler along with a track record of youth-oriented activities in Pakistan and abroad. She was selected as a fully-funded delegate as a leadership fellow in Turkey. She also led a team of 5 volunteers at the week-long Young Professionals Fellowship in Maldives. She is also a member of the Youth Standing Committee on Higher Education.
