Today is the second anniversary of “Operation Swift Retort” which decimated the Indian aspirations to establish a New Normal in South Asia. Despite PM Imran Khan’s sincere offer to India to hold an investigation on the Pulwama incident, the Modi-led government decided to unleash its nefarious designs by breaching Pakistan’s sovereignty and the Indian Air Force dropped the pay-load in Pakistan’s territory which destroyed few trees, on 26th February 2019. To silence the Indian warmongers, PM Khan gave go-ahead to Pakistan Armed Forces. Indian forces were expecting Pakistan’s response but it seems they did not expect it in broad daylight. On the very next day, on 27th February 2019 at 9 o’clock in the morning, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) launched a counter strike which was codenamed “Operation Swift Retort”. The purpose was essential to demonstrate Pakistan’s resolve and capability. Open spaces in a military garrison near Line of Control were selected for the bombing to avoid any human casualty. The PAF warplanes crossed the LOC and bombed the selected areas. In retaliation, IAF fighter jets tried to chase the PAF warplanes and as a result, the two IAF aircraft, MiG-21, and SU-30 were shot down by the PAF. The MiG-21 pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured alive but later returned to India as a gesture of goodwill. On the same day, in a chaotic situation, the IAF officers lost their senses as the IAF shot down its own Mi-17 helicopter with a surface-to-air missile fired from SPYDER, an Indian air defense system. In a nutshell, Operation Swift Retort was a great victory for Pakistan and it proved the PAF’s operational superiority. There is also a strong lesson for India, “Don’t dare to challenge Pakistan again!”
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