Pakistan deployed air force along Indian border post 26/11

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 official said on 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 area of responsibility, close to over 75 per cent," IAF's Vice Chief-Designate Air Marshal P K Barbora told media-persons in New Delhi. 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. A

ir 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 defences 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 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."