Chopper carrying PoK 'PM' did not cross LoC, was attacked by Indian Army: Pakistan

The Pakistani media has claimed that the helicopter carrying the ‘Prime Minister’ of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, Raja Farooq Haider, did not violate Indian airspace. Reports in Pakistani media have also alleged that Indian forces opened fire at the helicopter as it reached close to the Line of Control (LoC).

According to a report in Pakistan-based Dawn News, Haider and two of his ministers were in the helicopter, which came under attack from India near Abbaspur village. The PoK official was reportedly on his way to visit “one of his cabinet members”, whose brother had died.

Claiming that the helicopter was well within Pakistan “space”, Haider told Dawn News that the “Indian Army suddenly opened fire” at his helicopter. He added that the helicopter was “very close to zero line”.

On the issue of not informing Indian authorities about his movement, Haider said that there was no need for the same as he was flying in a civilian helicopter. He added that though he often visited the area, this had never happened earlier.

This comes even as Indian authorities said on Sunday that the helicopter had entered 250 metre inside Indian airspace near the LoC. Indian forces reportedly exercised restraint and New Delhi is expected to lodge a protest with Pakistan over the issue.

#WATCH A Pakistani helicopter violated Indian airspace in Poonch sector of #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/O4QHxCf7CR — ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2018

A video of the same was also released and widely circulated on social media platforms.

The development comes just days after India cancelled talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York.

Following this, India and Pakistan also took each other head on as the two foreign ministers address the UNGA. While India reiterated that talks and terror cannot happen together, Pakistan accused India of cancelling dialogue on “flimsy grounds”. India had also exercised ‘right to reply’ after the address of Pakistan foreign minister.