Did Pakistan shoot down Rafale jet during Operation Sindoor? PIB fact check says no

NEW DELHI: The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has debunked several false claims circulating in Pakistani media and social platforms following Indian Army's precision airstrikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday.In response to Operation Sindoor, which targeted 9 terror camps, several social accounts alleged retaliatory strikes on 15 Indian locations, including claims of attacks on Srinagar Airbase and destruction of Indian Army facilities and fighter jets.These claims, largely propagated by accounts affiliated with Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), lacked credible evidence such as satellite imagery or verified video footage.PIB's fact-check refuted claims that Pakistan shot down Indian Rafale jet and said that the image being shared is old and not related to 'Operation Sindoor.'"Beware of old images shared by pro-Pakistan handles in the present context!" PIB said."An old image showing a crashed aircraft is being circulated with the claim that Pakistan recently shot down an Indian Rafale jet near Bahawalpur during the ongoing Operation Sindoor," it added.PIB's fact-checking unit specifically addressed a viral video purportedly showing an attack on Srinagar Airbase. The bureau clarified that the footage actually depicted sectarian clashes from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, in 2024. PIB emphasised that most circulating videos were either old, unrelated, or digitally manipulated content."In a video shared by several pro-Pakistan handles, it is being falsely claimed that the Pakistan Airforce has targeted Srinagar airbase. The video shared is old and NOT from India. The video is from sectarian clashes that took place in the year 2024, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Rely only on official Government of India sources for authentic Information," stated the Press Information Bureau fact check team.This comes hours after Indian Army conducted targeted strikes, eliminating nine terrorist bases belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen during 'Operation Sindoor' across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.The Indian Air Force executed precise attacks on four sites within Pakistan's borders, whilst five locations were targeted in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. The Centre affirmed that the operation was "focused, measured and non-escalatory" and deliberately steered clear of Pakistani military installations.