Major Embarrassment For Pakistan As Former Diplomat Admits 2019 Balakot Airstrike Killed 300 Terrorists

The revelation by the former Pakistani diplomat about the success of Balakot Airstrike contradicts the zero casualties claim made by Islamabad thus once again causing major embarrassment for the Imran Khan-led government. Read on.

Representational Image: AFP/Getty

New Delhi: A former Pakistani diplomat Agha Hilaly has admitted on a news television show that the 2019 Balakot airstrike claimed the lives of at least 300 terrorists in the region.  The revelation by the former Pakistani diplomat contradicts the zero casualties claim made by Islamabad thus once again causing major embarrassment for the Imran Khan-led government. On February 26, 2019, the Indian Air Force had carried out a strike at a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror training camp at Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on  Pakistan as tensions between the two countries were rising in the aftermath of the Pulwama terrorist attack. Jaish-e- Mohammad (JeM) had claimed the responsibility for the February 14 attack in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives. Back then, Pakistan refused to admit to the presence of terrorists in the area let alone accepting those killed. Hilaly was speaking during a debate on a Pakistani Urdu channel when he made the latest revelation. "India crossed the international border and did an act of war in which at least 300 were reported dead. Our target was different from theirs. We targeted their high command. That was our legitimate target because they are men of the military. We subconsciously accepted that a surgical strike- a limited action- did not result in any casualty. Now we have subconsciously told them that, whatever they will do, we'll do only that much and won't escalate," said Agha Hilaly as quoted by news agency ANI. This development comes after Pakistan's federal minister Fawad Chaudhry boasted, in a sensational admission, that Pakistan was responsible for the Pulwama terrorist attack while addressing the National Assembly in October 2020. While addressing the National Assembly, Chaudhry had said, "We attacked India after infiltrating in its own territory and the success in Pulwama was a success under the leadership of Imran Khan. It was a success of our community and the opposition is also a partner in this success." WATCH | Pak should hold Lakhvi accountable for involvement in terrorist attacks including Mumbai attacks: US