Table of Contents
What happened in February 2019?
- In the early hours ofFebruary 26, 2019,
- The IAF jets bombed the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror camps in Balakot in Pakistan and
- Avenged the Pulwama terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.
- The 37-year-old IAF pilot was captured by the Pakistani Army on February 27 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets during aerial combat.
- Before his jet was hit, Varthaman downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan.
- He was released on the night of March 1 by Pakistan.
Now What happened?
- In a speech in the National Assembly, Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Ayaz Sadiq said,
- Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had in an important meeting said if Pakistan did not release Wing Commander Varthaman, India would attack Pakistan “that night by 9 pm.”
- “I remember Shah Mahmood Qureshi was in the meeting in which (Prime Minister) Imran Khan had refused to attend and
- Chief of Army Staff General Bajwa came into the room, his legs were shaking and he was perspiring.
- Foreign Minister said for god’s sake let Abhinandan go, India’s about to attack Pakistan at 9 pm,”
- Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said Pakistan knew India’s capability and that could have acted as deterrence against any harm coming to Wing Commander Varthaman.
- “There are two parts to it.
- The main pressure on Pakistan was diplomatic and political.
- But there was also a military posture, the way he (Mr Sadiq) is saying that ‘his legs (General Bajwa) were shaking and all’,
- It is because the military posture was very offensive of all the three services, Army, Navy, Air Force.”
- The American President Theodore Roosevelt used to say, ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick’.
- “So the big stick was the military,” Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said.
- Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, who flew a MiG-21, was killed by Pakistani forces After his fighter jet was shot down by Pakistani forces in
Q) Which of the following services have been matched correctly with their services?
- Foreign Intelligence Service- Russia
- Ministry of State Security- Britain
- Secret Intelligence Service- China
- The Mossad- Israel
- 1, 2 & 3 only
- 2, 3 & 4 only
- 2 & 4 only
- 1 & 4 only