'Pakistan using civilian air traffic as shield, putting lives at risk'

NEW DELHI: India on Friday slammed Pakistan for using civil air traffic as a "shield" for its continuing drone and missile attacks against India across the international border, in reckless acts endangering commercial aircraft carrying thousands of passengers."Pakistan did not close its airspace despite launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack at 8.30pm on May 7," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said at a briefing led by foreign secretary Vikram Misri."Pakistan is using civil airliners as a shield, knowing full well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners, including international flights, which were flying near the international border between India and Pakistan," she added.The IAF officer, who is a skilled helicopter pilot, showed data from Flightradar24, which is a global flight tracking service that provides real-time information about aircraft in flight, during a "high air defence situation" in the Punjab sector."As you see, the airspace on the Indian side is absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure. However, there are civil airlines flying the air route between Karachi and Lahore," Wing Commander Singh said. Among other civil aircraft, she cited the example of an Airbus-320 flight of Flynas Aviation, which originated from Dammam (Saudi Arabia) at 5.50 pm and landed in Lahore at 9.10pm, to buttress the case. "The IAF demonstrated considerable restraint in its response, thus ensuring safety of international civil carriers," she said.Pakistan's "irresponsible behaviour" was coming to the fore again and again, underlining its serious breach of international norms regarding military engagement near civilian zones, govt said, adding that while India cleared its airspace for the safety of civil airliners, Pakistan refused to do so.Pakistan's attacks have continued against India, with the country launching as many as 300 to 400 drones at 36 locations across the Line of Control and international border, stretching from Leh to Sir Creek, between 8pm and midnight on Thursday.