Pak deployed 75 % of air force along Indian border post 26/11

New Delhi, May 31 (PTI) Pakistan had deployed 75 per cent
of its air force on its borders along with India after 26/11
Mumbai terror strikes, a top Indian Air Force (IAF) official
said Sunday.

"Over the period of time after 26/11, we saw a gradual
build up of Pakistan Air Force across the area of Western Air
Command (WAC) area of responsibility, close to over 75 per
cent," IAF's Vice Chief-Designate Air Marshal P K Barbora told
reporters here.

He, however, added that the PAF had redeployed its units
to their peacetime locations now.

"The situation is not like that at present and they have
all gone back to their peacetime locations," Barbora said.

Air Marshal Barbora, said that Pakistan had deployed most
of its air power on the border as it was aware of IAF's
capabilities and needed to "beef up" its air defence against
India.

He added that the IAF did not "up the ante" during those
times as it did not want to give any excuse to Pakistan for
any misadventure.

When asked about the reasons behind Pakistan's actions, he
said, "How do you divert the nation's attention when fingers
were pointing to their country as far as 26/11 is concerned.
To keep the country's thinking diverted to some other area, I
presume they may have raised this issue of kind of conflict
situation."

Replying to a query about India's capabilities in terms
of infrastructure vis-a-vis China in the northern sector, he
said, "We have gone up in showing our capability in Ladakh
area with the activation of Daulat Beg Oldie airfield, Fuk Che
ALGs (Advanced Landing Grounds) etc. We are constructing
another runway there. We also have the Sukhoi's operating from
Leh... and I am sure that the friends across the border must
have seen our capability."

Earlier in the day, after handing over the charge of
WAC, he said, "We have started operating our fighter and
transport aircraft in the night from Udhampur and increased
our night operations... because of this potential of ours, our
'friends' are quite worried." PTI AJD
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