Pro-Pakistan handles claim Indian woman pilot captured; PIB fact checks
The government has refuted claims that an Indian female air force pilot has been captured by Pakistan amid heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
According to the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the claim is being spread by several pro-Pakistan handles on social media.
“Indian Female Air Force pilot has NOT been captured,” the fact-check unit of the PIB said on Saturday. “Pro-Pakistan social media handles claim that an Indian Female Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Shivani Singh, has been captured in Pakistan.”
The unit has also debunked claims that air bases in Nagrota and Bhatinda have been hit by Pakistan.
“An old and digitally altered video is being falsely circulated as footage of a Pakistani attack on the Nagrota Air Base,” it said.
“Posts are being artificially spread, claiming that the Bhatinda Airfield has been DESTROYED!” it added on X.
Earlier today, while addressing a press briefing, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that state agencies in Pakistan have resorted to lies, misinformation, and propaganda.
He added that their claims of attacking and destroying various military installations in India are completely false.
“As you are seeing, Pakistani claims about the activities that they have undertaken continue to be heavy on lies, misinformation, and propaganda. On top of that, this is pedalled by the Pakistani State Agencies, the claims that they have made about attacking and destroying various military installations in the country are completely false,” Misir said the briefing.
“The claim about the air force stations in Sirsa, Suratgarh, being destroyed, they are false. Claim about S-400 base in Adampur is being destroyed, is false,” he added.
Pakistan’s state-run PTV earlier reported that Pakistan Air Force’s hypersonic missiles destroyed the S-400 system in Adampur, according to PTI.
