Pakistan and India current situation

           Pakistan and India 

Pakistan and India are on the brink of a major confrontation after the latter claimed to have shot down two Indian fighter jets in response to the bombing of alleged "terror" targets inside Pakistan.

Tensions have risen since a suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based armed group, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), in Indian-administered Kashmir killed at least 42 Indian paramilitary forces on February 14.

But the risk of an all-out conflict rose dramatically on Tuesday when India launched air raids on what it said was a JeM training base.

On Wednesday morning, New Delhi and Islamabad were engaged in a battle of conflicting military claims.

At l

east four Pakistani civilians were killed late on Tuesday in the cross-border fire between the two nuclear-armed South Asian rivals.

Here are all the latest updates as of Wednesday, February 27:

EU Foreign Affairs Representative urges calm

Federica Mogherini has urged the 'utmost restraint' amid tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad.

India condemns 'vulgar' display of prisoner

Indian media outlet NDTV says government officials in New Delhi have condemned Pakistan's publication of video and images showing a captured Indian pilot. 

"India also strongly objects to Pakistan's vulgar display of an injured personnel of the Indian Air Force in violation of all norms of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention." The Indian government said in a statement 

The comments come, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met with military officers to discuss the capture of the pilot.

Pakistani PM Imran Khan urges talks to calm situation

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to negotiate an end to the current crisis.

In a televised address, he said: "History tells us that wars are full of miscalculation. My question is that given the weapons we have can we afford miscalculation." 

Read our full report here.

Pakistani military now says it has one Indian pilot

Pakistani Armed Forces spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor, has said the Pakistani army holds just one Indian pilot.

In an earlier comment, the military said it had two members of the Indian armed forces in custody. India says it has one pilot unaccounted for.

Turkey calls for calm between India and Pakistan

Turkey's Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu voices concern over the increasing tension between India and Pakistan.

"We are concerned over this tension. We want to call for common sense and calm between the parties. Steps that will escalate the tension should be avoided," Cavusoglu said.

He points to the dispute over Kashmir as the source of the tension, telling reporters in the Turkish capital, Ankara, that it must be solved as soon as possible within the framework of international law. 

Imran Khan urges "wisdom", offers dialogue 

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan says his country is ready for dialogue with India and urges the need for "better sense to prevail". 

"I am addressing India. It is very important that we use wisdom," Khan says in a televised address, emphasising that several countries have ended up at war in the past due to a lack of dialogue.  

He stresses the need for the two nuclear-armed countries to remain cool-headed and to cooperate on security in the disputed Kashmir, saying "we will go and fight with you against terrorism".

India says it shot down one Pakistani fighter jet and lost one of its own

India says it shot down one Pakistani fighter jet and lost one of its own to Pakistan.

Pakistan claims to have shot down two Indian warplanes. 

Bahrain's Gulf Air suspends all flights to and from Pakistan

Bahrain's national carrier Gulf Air suspends all flights to and from Pakistan with immediate effect due to the closure of Pakistani airspace, according to a statement from the company. 

"On February 27, flights to/from Lahore, Multan and Islamabad are cancelled and all passengers will be transferred to next available flights when the airspace is open again," the statement says.

India's Foreign Ministry admits one pilot is missing

India's Foreign Ministry says one of their pilots is missing, after Pakistan claimed to have captured two Indian pilots.

Ravish Kumar, the ministry spokesperson, also stresses need to "ascertain the facts" amid competing narratives with Pakistan. 

"In this engagement, we have unfortunately lost one MiG 21. The pilot is missing in action. Pakistan has claimed he is in their custody. We are ascertaining the facts," Kumar said 

Bahrain's Gulf Air suspends all flights to and from Pakistan

Bahrain's national carrier Gulf Air suspends all flights to and from Pakistan with immediate effect due to the closure of Pakistani airspace, according to a statement from the company. 

"On February 27, flights to/from Lahore, Multan and Islamabad are cancelled and all passengers will be transferred to next available flights when the airspace is open again," the statement says.

India's former ambassador to the US warns Pakistan

Retired diplomat Lalit Mansingh says a new red line with Pakistan has been drawn, adding that India's policy of strategic restraint "is no longer", according to AP news agency.

China reiterates call for restraint

China's Foreign Ministry reiterates its call for India and Pakistan to exercise restraint. 

"We hope that both India and Pakistan can exercise restraint, take initiatives that are conducive to promoting dialogue, meet halfway and make active efforts for lasting peace and stability in South Asia," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang says. 

Pakistani warplanes enter Indian airspace, forced back: Indian official

Indian air force jets intercept at least three Pakistani warplanes that crossed into the Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday and force them to turn tail, an Indian official says, amid heightened tensions following an Indian air attack that targeted a rebel camp inside Pakistan a day earlier.

The Pakistani jets intruded over the Bimber Gali-Naushera sector at the Line of Control, a ceasefire line that serves as the de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region, the official, who is based in the area, says.

The main airport in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir state, has been shut down for three hours, police in the city say.

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