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  1. India has closed all her remaining ways of talks with Pakistan by shooting down a Pakistani naval craft. She has not proven her brazenness, but has manifested her fear of Pakistan army, because the naval craft was within Pak border. Perhaps the Indian soldiers thought that this under-training craft would attack them so they should respond first. I think India should accept her fault and say sorry to Pakistan for this shameful attack.

    Muhamad Adeel Ilyas
    Pakistan


  2. It's a part of diplomatic relations between two countries. This incident will not adversely affect the atmosphere for talk.

    Gautam Patel
    India


  3. I am shocked to learn of the death of sixteen people on board the Pakistani aircraft shot down by India. I appeal to the leaders in Pakistan and India to take immediate steps to begin diplomatic negotiations to end their long-standing conflict. There is no other way to bring stability in India-Pakistan relations.

    Dr. Ishtiaq Hossain
    Singapore


  4. No opinions must be sought on this, as this is what happens when someone deliberately intrudes the other’s territory. And this is what your/any country would do in similar situations. Learn a lesson from international community as well. This is a matter of countries, just see what happened in Yugoslavia (where it was inter-community).

    Rajat Malhotra
    USA


  5. There are some proverbs which come to my mind:
    'When you stand in the kitchen, be prepared for some heat'!
    'If you spit against the wind, the sputum will fall on you' -English translation of an Indian proverb.
    'Dig a hole for others and then yourself fall into a ravine'.
    I do not think such an incident would have occurred prior to Kargil. Planes do intrude each other’s territory, both the Indians and Pakistanis do it but they never shoot each other.
    But after the Kargil, the message is ‘do not mess with us’. Pakistan has paid for their adventure at Kargil.
    The very fact that both Indians and Pakistanis have parts of the wreckage indicates clearly that the plane was shot in the Indian territory and debris from the falling plane fell in both countries, with the final parts falling in Pakistan.
    The remains of the plane as per Pakistan are 2 kms from the border. This raises so many questions:
    a) If we accept the Pakistani version then the scenario is as follows:
    The plane was on west to east course (within Pakistan) and was pounced by MIG's who went into Pakistan territory, got behind the plane and shot it down. This means all the debris should have fallen on the Pakistani side? This means the PAF was sleeping to allow MIGs to come into its territory and shoot its aircraft.
    b) The plane was on north-south axis parallel to the border (inside the Pakistan territory). Again the Indian aircraft got into Pakistan territory and shot the plane. Again the above arguments remain valid.
    c) The third scenario is the Indian scenario:
    The plane on east-west axis (inside the Indian airspace and shot). Debris falls into the India territory and finally crashes in Pakistan.

    The final point is: what is the big deal about being unarmed? Was this plane on a humanitarian mission? Did this plane belong to a civilian airline? Just because a robber comes into my house without an arm doesn’t mean I let him go. Pakistan came into Kargil (Indian territory) and shot our plane inside our territory. Why did you not get guilt pangs about violation of territory etc. then? Anyway, I do feel sorry for those who paid for the stupidity of the higher ups.

    Manoj
    India


  6. The PM, Sartaj Aziz and the likes of Zia-ul-Haq are responsible for this type of never ending story.

    Major J S Shekhawat (retd.)
    India


  7. I think that was the most horrible action taken by India. In order to maintain peace and have good relations with their neighbouring country, they need to have table talks instead of having WAR. They must not be so proud of their technology and nuclear programme. As according to the article 1 and 2, which was signed, or held between the two countries in 1991, they should have warned the Pakistani plane before shooting it down, if it was by chance in their airspace. The wreckage of the plane having 16 people is still to be found, and if it would be in Pakistani area then India must be punished for her terrible action.

    Rizwan Bashir Tawakul
    Denmark


  8. Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee doesn't have any family to take care of or prevent it from a nuclear war which he wants to impose on more than a billion people. I am an anti war person and don't want bloodshed in my homeland but it’s now or never. With India's previous threat and Pakistan taking it easy, our people's lives come in jeopardy. Now we reserve the right to reply with a hard hit probably a bouncer. This is the time for the Indians to make a decision whether they want to elect most mindless Prime Minister and Defence minister. I would request Mr. Vajpayee to walk down and check the millions of people sleeping on the side walks of Calcutta , Delhi and Lucknow. First provide them shelter, food and then talk about nuclear war. You are in the last stage of your life in the 70s but please take care of the young generation in both India and Pakistan. If you want to fight for thousand years we are ready because we are born to be Mujahideen. Just think what a war brings to common people. If you want to experience it ask Iraqi and Serbian children, women and old people. Mr. Vajpayee please let us live in a safe and sound environment, let us compete with the west and USA in technological fields. Let us provide jobs to the young jobless people. Let us feed hungry people of Calcutta and Karachi. Let us provide homes to homeless people of the Sub-continent. Let us enter the next millennium with a promise that we will work for a better economy and advanced Pakistan and India. God bless our homelands.

    Bilal Aslam
    USA


  9. I think the act of India is naked aggression and needs to be condemned by the international community at large. As far as Pakistan is concerned, they should reserve the right of similar reply. Beyond that, they should work actively on the diplomatic front to attain the world focus upon the Indian aggression and Reuters satellite report should be taken as a clear evidence that the plane did not cross the international boundaries. Being based in the UK at the moment, I am sorry to say that the first news I got from BBC was fully partisan and was up to justifying India for whatever they have done was consequential and due to 'International Gangster-like attitude of Pakistan. I say that this was the first news that carried most of the impression for the following opinion making. Indian High Commissioner to Britain was immediately available to the BBC to give his comments and to blame Pakistan. Where in the world are the Pakistani diplomats? Please give them my message of strong concern.

    Arshad Karim
    Bradford, UK


  10. Whether this happened within the borders of Pakistan or India, the fact is that we have crossed yet another milestone in evincing hatred for each other. Even before considering myself as an Indian, I wish to share my heartfelt condolences with the families, relatives and friends of the soldiers that were killed- as a human. Incidents like this will only tear us apart. Pointing fingers at each other is not the correct solution to the problem. I was ashamed to read quotes like "old Rivals..." in CNN and BBC sites about our two countries. I think the political and religious leaders of both our countries should visit other countries like US, to see how Indians and Pakistanis can live like brothers, as they used to before our Independence.

    Jerald Shetty
    India


  11. A truly cowardly act but that is what one should expect from India. What is important is that we can not ignore our airforce anymore; no doubt we have far more competent pilots and engineers than India, but we need frontline and sophisticated aircraft or aircraft in larger quantity to give India a swift response. They only understand the language of Kargil, so we should deal with them that way.

    Kamal
    Australia


  12. Pakistanis are like "chors" (thieves) trying to sneak into Indian territory in disguise. They did that in Kargil as well under the guise of "freedom fighters". India has the largest Muslim population in the world and they do not support Pakistan in such activity. Muslims in India enjoy equality with all communities (India has had two Muslim Presidents, Muslim Chief Justice of the Indian Supreme Court, Muslim Indian Nuclear/Missile Chief Scientist, Muslim Cricket Captain, Muslim MPs and MLAs, Muslim Mayors, Muslim Police Chiefs and District Magistrates, and the list is unending. They all are Indians first and Muslims second). Can Pakistan boast of such fair record vis-à-vis Hindus in their country? As a matter of fact the Muslims in India are very happy and hate such kind of Pakistani stupidity. Then why is Pakistan so obsessed with stealing Indian land or entering Indian territory? Does Islam teach you to enter your neighbour’s house through backdoor? What will Indians do then: evict the thieves from Kashmir and shoot down the thieves flying into Indian territory. It only brings one lesson to mind: "chor chori se jaye hera pheri se na jaye". India acted correctly in shooting down the Pakistani aircraft, which came illegally into the Indian territory and then acted in a hostile manner ("choori aur ooper se senajori") when intercepted by the Indian aircraft flying in defence. Unfortunate is the loss of lives of 16 people and the misery it causes to their families/survivors if it matters to the so-called Pakistani generals/leaders.

    Raj Mittal
    New Zealand


  13. I don't see any need for dialogue between India and Pakistan when Pakistan is aiding and abetting terrorists in India to destabilise India. Hence, when you live by the sword you die by the sword. So, if Pakistan can shoot down Indian jets in Kargil when they 'strayed' into Pakistani airspace then India also has the right to shoot down any alien jets or aircraft straying into the Indian airspace. I therefore don't think that this is an issue at all.

    Mohammad Imdad
    Thailand/Indian


  14. The aircraft very much deserved the fate it got.

    Vijay Soni
    USA


  15. India is in aggressive mood after the humiliation Pakistan suffered not by the hands of India but by impotent, weak and corrupt leaders, who do not know how to govern a country. We suffered a lot on the propaganda front, because our information minister was busy tarnishing the image of political opponents. He projected all over the world and spent millions of dollars that one of previous Pakistani prime ministers was corrupt. I wish our information and propaganda machinery had invested this much of mind and money in projecting the Kashmiri cause.

    Zan Syed
    Pakistan


  16. Fifty years, three wars, one lost half of its territory, the other thousands of its men. Perhaps the fourth war is in the row. True war is a luxury only the poor can afford.

    Sanjay
    India


  17. Once Pakistani leadership showed its weakness and cowardice to the Indians in Kargil, what else should one expect from the Indians? This downing of Pakistani naval plane is not going to be the last such episode. Now Pakistan would see similar acts of aggression from India on a routine basis. Once the initiative is passed over to the enemy, it would go for the total kill. The only way to salvage the situation from total Indian control is to bring in a new leadership. Hopefully, the new leadership would have guts and courage to fully use nuclear weapons to defend Pakistan's interests. Short of that the cat and mouse game will continue.

    Refaat Shafkey
    Pakistan


  18. Pakistan should take lessons from the incident and stop sending terrorists to India otherwise when India retaliates there will be no Pakistan left on Earth.

    Arun
    USA


  19. I believe India did it to divert media's attention from the present situation created by freedom fighters in Kashmir and Assam. I don't think it was done on the basis of violation of Indian airspace.

    Ijaz ul karim Rao
    Pakistan


  20. First of all, I wish to express my condolences to the families of all those killed. This episode seems to be a continuation of the Kargil war. I hope both India and Pakistan would do well to stop thinking of each other. Hatred begets destruction. This event should teach this lesson.

    Mohammed Iqbal
    Pakistan


  21. I believe that India is trying to settle their score with Pakistan. As you know, Pakistan shot down two of the Indian planes a few weeks back and it is time to pay the price. This process however should not stop the peace process. At the end of the day, all problems will only be solved when both parties make genuine efforts to sit on the table.

    Tariq Rishi
    Saudi Arabia


  22. What India has done, whether right or wrong is another matter; the most important for us is that their action should not go unanswered in the same coin. Of course, we would be helping BJP in the process, as more tension means more votes for them, but it would not make any difference to us.

    Azam Ali
    Singapore


  23. It was a tragic event that could have been avoided. The fact that the wreckage was on the Indian side, indicates a violation of air space, intentional or otherwise. The large number of personnel on board, some designated as trainees, suggest that the aircraft could be 'operated' by Mujahideen to which Pakistan provides only diplomatic support. The firepower of Mujahideen in the Kargil, the availability of stinger missiles and now the aircraft, all suggest that the Mujahideen are a formidable force to deal with. I still wish Indians hadn’t shot it down. It should have been offered safe passage, the first proposal from the Indian defence minister for the Kargil Mujahideen.

    Jay
    Australia


  24. Sometimes I laugh to read the philosophy of you intellectuals. Don't you simply understand the simple rule of all times: "Might is right".

    Muhammad J. Iqbal
    USA


  25. I think it sucks, Vajpayee has to prove he is a man by downing a reconnaissance plane. Shame India shame!

    Jack McLoskkey
    Waltham
    Massachusetts


  26. What does India think it is doing? India should be responded in the same manner. The colonial powers are using both the countries. Indians are responsible for every single death. I think India should be taught a lesson. The Indians are animals they don’t understand human language. They didn’t have enough from the last 3 wars, and they lost all. What does India want... just fight? They don’t have anything to eat. Does India want to eat bombs and drink human blood? Please send my message to the Indian government, newspapers and people.

    Bilal Aziz
    Australia


  27. There is no meaningful dialogue anyway! How can there be? The Indians have become distrustful since the betrayal of Indians by Pakistan. Even during the 3 previous wars the commoner on the Indian streets never wanted a war. But now talk to anyone on the street the common person is angry with the government for letting Pakistan get away with the intrusion in Kargil without making them pay for it. This time it is the common man in India who is angry with Pakistan, even a child knows Pakistan as an enemy country and this is dangerous for Pakistan. Pakistan should mend its ways in time. Before a country of one billion goes mad, Pakistan should STOP INTRUDING IN INDIAN TERRITORY. We will even shoot down a fly coming in from Pakistan!

    Yusuf Khan
    India


  28. This is a very regrettable incident, and a step back in the normalisation of relations. The aircraft should have been allowed to land so that the pilot could have had the opportunity to explain why it strayed into Indian airspace accidentally (?). Sixteen lives were lost needlessly. In future, there should be a rule that any aircraft that strays into another's airspace should land if accosted, and definitely NOT act hostile. This will then "clear the air" between the neighbours.

    Sher Khan
    USA


  29. Certainly, shooting down a plane doesn't push the peace process; it shoots it down. But then, so does the Kargil intrusion- attack I would like to call it. And the random attacks by terrorists aided and abetted by Pakistan. Two wrongs do not a right make, but then, Pakistanis, you must understand, sometimes you got to fight when you are a man.

    S. Nataraj
    India


  30. I do not fully know the consequences under which India did something like that but I would wonder why it killed few innocent people. On one side India is talking peace and then bombs a plane WHY?

    Dr. Bhatty
    Canada


  31. I think it was a correct decision by India; you can’t let someone intrude your territory.

    Osman
    India


  32. I feel that Pakistan is blaming India for shooting down the aircraft. If you cross the line of control this is what is going to happen. I am very happy about it and I don’t understand one think: how many lessons would Pakistan like to learn to stop fiddling with a sleeping lion. Live and let other live.

    Umesh
    USA


  33. What did Pakistan do when it claimed Indian jets entering its territory? So now you got to see how the Indian air force acted when Pakistani planes entered Indian territory. I see it as a tit for tat. Every action has a reaction. You killed and mutilated Indian soldiers...you lost your soldiers in the conflict. If Pakistan had little sense it would take this as a small warning. Your viewers have stupid tales to tell of the so-called heroic Mujahedeen instead of voicing their opinions. Pakistan can never face the fact. Instead of trying to achieve military parity, which is only a distant dream for Pakistan, try to achieve economic prosperity.

    Jai
    India


  34. It is a matter of shame that while Nawaz Sharif is enjoying life with his family and ill-gotten wealth, children of 16 Pakistani army Shaheeds have become fatherless. India could do this because it made the army loosen its grip on them in Kargil where over 17,000 Indian soldiers were trapped. May Allah protect Pakistan.

    Asrar Moiz
    Pakistan


  35. I think it is very good that a Pakistani plane was shot down and all aboard were killed. Let Pakistanis also realise what it means to lose loved ones. There is jubilation in my heart that at the moment there are sixteen families whose lives are destroyed because they lost a loved son, husband, brother etc. That is what your country and your people deserve. As far as normalising relations are concerned, there can never be peace between India and Pakistan. Jinnah created Pakistan for Muslims but the people who suffered most because of partition were people like us (Indian Muslims). In fact, most Pakistanis I have met in the States are Punjabis who are completely ignorant and intellectually very inferior to Indian Muslims. I have no sympathy for Pakistanis whether they are Muslims Christians Hindus or Parsis. Pakistan has no reason to exist and the only time relations that can be normal between India and Pakistan, are after India has nuked and destroyed Pakistan.

    Parvaiz Ashraf
    Indian/USA


  36. It’s an act of war and Pakistan should respond in equal or greater way, at a suitable time. India has waited several weeks to revenge the loss of their planes at the hands of Kashmiri Mujahideen. Pakistan should not show weakness. I guess this series of attacks and counter attacks will continue unless the core issue is addressed. The world has a responsibility to mediate and bring the three parties to the table. Otherwise these two bitter rivals will waste another fifty years in wars and subversive activities in other countries. Both countries behave like immature kids and try to get confirmation of their stand by USA. Wake up Indians and Pakistanis! The world is enjoying fireworks and you’re spending money on luxuries of war. You are missing an opportunity to develop yourselves with the rest of the world.

    Muhammad A. Lodhi
    USA


  37. Pakistan should teach India a lesson for her cowardly act of shooting down a Pakistan Navy aircraft. Because of cruel and treacherous mentality of Hindus, only the language of force is suitable. See how much cruelty has been done to Kashmir, and over 50 years she has committed so many atrocities and violations of human rights. So there is no other choice left other than to give the devil its due.

    A. Haq
    USA


  38. It is complete nonsense I must say. What these politicians in both India and Pakistan are doing is playing with fire. Please leave the Kashmiris alone and give them their rights. India is not giving Kashmir to Pakistan. And neither do Kashmiris want to be with either side! Politicians and the public of Pakistan and India please grow up! It is a new century; think above and think ahead. I wish to die in the name of Allah and in the love of my country. "AAmin". And I wish Pakistan and India become the best nations in the world.

    Zeeshan Chaudry
    England


  39. It is a conspiracy of India because during the war India did not come to fight with Pakistan. But after some peace, they shot down a Pakistani Naval aircraft, which is absolutely wrong. India and America are friends behind the curtain and they project this issue on the international media that Pakistan is at mistake. I think Pakistan has to rely on its own nation, military and resources. America is not sincere with Pakistan. This is the time to decide about future strategies and identify friends and enemies.

    Maqbool Ahmad
    Pakistan


  40. Naval aircraft? This was a reconnaissance aircraft, spying on India. I don’t see another reason for it to be on the border. Whether it was three miles inside the Indian territory or fell one mile inside Pakistani line, it is trivial. Islam, the Universal Truth, which we all claim to follow, strictly prohibits prying into other people. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, has said:
    "If someone peeps into the house of people without their permission, it becomes allowable for them to gouge out his eyes." (Bokhari and Muslim)
    Kargil misadventure caused many casualties, both in political and military leadership. But just like we did not learn any lessons from the catastrophe of East Pakistan, likewise we will continue to live in the grandeur of nuclear blast. We have started all the wars with India in the past and lost all of them so miserably. We engage in these kinds of silly miscarriages and then look to the world, to mediate between us. Have we have no national pride?

    Khalid Malik
    USA


  41. It seems strange that a plane shot down in India ended up in Pakistani area. I think India is not very pleased about losing its planes and helicopters during the recent Kashmir conflict. Pakistan outclassed the Indians in every way during that conflict and now India is trying to win some support and all they can do is down an unarmed plane. What’s next? The Indian government has already killed 25, 000 Sikhs, thousands of Tamils and more than 25,000 Muslims in Kashmir. I hope that India will listen to the voices of minorities living in India and give them the freedom they deserve.

    Shawn
    USA


  42. It is really a shame for both India and Pakistan. It is the dirty game of the politicians on both sides. When millions of their citizens are struggling for basic needs such as water, food and cloth, why should these countries provoke each other? What have they gained? Both countries have lost great personnel just for nothing. It is a crime and sin against humanity. People in both countries do not have even basic health care centres. Life has become very cheap in these countries but they spend millions on war. It is really a shame. Place the poor people in front of you and the war will come to an end.

    Benjamin
    India/USA


  43. Violation of Indian airspace was a suicidal act. Pakistani leaders should change their confrontational attitude. Be realistic and rational in utterances and acts. Pakistani leaders, it seems, have lost the ability to think. Their statements are far from reality and comical many times. Only God can save Pakistan from a disaster.

    A. Mehta
    USA


  44. If Pakistan's aircraft enters Indian air space, do you expect Indians to sit back and enjoy the beauty of the majestic aircraft flying over? Better gun it down.

    P.M Sunder
    India


  45. It is high time Pakistan stopped provoking its giant neighbour. Stop sending your agents to India and stop committing heinous acts against fellow humans. India is a proud country of many religions and cultures. We have the second largest population of Muslims in the world- more than Pakistan. Don't go about raging a proxy war in the name of Allah. If Pakistan does not desist, India will have no choice but to retaliate and no one wins. Live and let live. We have a lot in common. Focus on development. We (both India and Pakistan) are the laughing stock of the world. Enough is enough!

    Sunil
    USA


  46. I think it doesn't hurt anybody except the families of those that where on board. Whatever they say, they can't bring them back or heal their pain. Nobody will be brought to justice. This is a total loss not for Pakistan or India, but for humanity and the families who lost their loved ones.

    Syed Nishat
    USA


  47. I feel sad that 16 lives have been lost again. When will this madness stop? Why did the Pakistani military send its people to the Indian side of the border in spite of being aware of the obvious danger of being shot down? Is someone higher up in the hierarchy feeling that 16 Pakistani lives are expendable to portray India as an aggressor? If the aircraft entered India, it ought to have been intercepted. If it was possible, it need not have been shot down. The crew could have been taken as prisoners of war. We treat POWs well; we don’t torture them and cut off their genitalia; we don’t cut their fingers and shoot them in the head. So the POWs need not have any fear from the Indian authorities. They would have been grateful to escape with their lives...if only the crew of the plane had surrendered. Sadly, due to false sense of patriotic jingoism, 16 human lives were lost.

    Ragu
    USA/India


  48. I think India doesn’t want to come to the table for peace. India wants war badly (what a stupid country). I believe that this was bad for both PAKISTAN and India. The shooting down of the plane is one of the most stupid things India has ever done. If this happens with India, it will cry like a baby.

    Aamir
    USA/Pakistani


  49. I agree. But on the other hand, we know that BJP government is facing a tough time in India. The elections in India are due in 6-week time now. It’s a common practice in our part of the world that every weak government creates tension on the border in order to divert the attention of its citizens. I think Pakistan should sit tight and watch carefully till the new Indian government takes oath. A revenge at this point of time will greatly affect Pakistan economy.

    Kashif Zafar
    Pakistan


  50. India should not tolerate intrusion in its territory. We have suffered enough in Kargil by playing soft on those who do not understand the language of peace. I support this action so that the intruders will know that they will not be given safe passage each time. I do not understand why Pakistan dos not stop terrorism in India and work for better relations with the latter.

    Rajesh
    USA


  51. Indian military, stung by Kargil and Kupwara losses of officers and men, had been looking for such an opportunity. Events suggest that the Indians sneaked behind the Pakistani naval aircraft and shot it down; then they landed choppers near the crash site and instead of looking for survivors they picked up small pieces of debris that could be airlifted and rushed to Delhi to cover their dastardly lie. All this time they made no effort to inform the Pakistani government, knowing that it was a Pak Navy aircraft, as that could have hindered their effort to retrieve some flimsy pieces of wreckage to hoodwink the entire international community.
    Thus far, Indian civil and military leaderships have offered accounts that are contradictory and confusing. For example, the plane "acted in a hostile manner by turning into the Migs". How can a lumbering turboprop "turn into" a Mach 2 capable jet and what for? That would imply that the Atlantique was going to challenge the Mig in a dogfight! And if the turboprop had turned into the Mig then it must have been too close for the Mig to fire missiles. So when did the Mig fire two missiles? Some IAF fellow earlier mentioned that the Mig fired guns. So I ask these Indians which is it- guns or missiles or maybe both?

    Moreover, they said the debris was 10km inside the Indian at Kori creek south east of Sir creek. Later when Pakistan was able to show to the world that the wreckage was west of Sir creek, an Indian spokesman conceded that the wreckage could have landed on both sides of the border. How could wreckage of a plane flying 10 km inside India "in a hostile manner" land smack at the border? Also the Indian defence minister had claimed that Pak choppers were being warned not to enter Indian airspace to retrieve the wreckage or they too will be shot down. What site was he talking about? Perhaps the one concocted by the rascals of IAF at Delhi? Can the creative Indian military show the world where is the rest of the wreckage besides the small chunks they are using as fig leaves? Do they have recordings of the two warnings they gave to the plane before shooting it down?

    In Kargil Indians first lied to the world that their aircraft were fired upon within their side of the valley. Once Pakistan located the wreckage and pilots (dead and alive) they fabricated a fantastic tale of flameout and rescue mission. How can a Mig-21 rescue a downed pilot in enemy territory? Why was he rescuing his buddy 7km inside Pakistan airspace when they said their records indicated the plane had gone down inside Indian occupied Kashmir? Then they concocted a story about their soldiers being mutilated. An article by S. Varadarajan in the 'Times if India' exposes their lie and even goes on to state reports of Indians mutilating the dead bodies of Kashmiris at Kargil.

    They lied then and they are lying now. But now they have killed 16 precious Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan must resist the temptation to act predictably but must reserve the right to take appropriate action in the future. In the meantime it is up to the world to condemn Indian deceit in attempting to hide a lie by telling hundred more lies. What other country would actually sneak into another country to steal wreckage pieces to pretend to the world that they are not as incompetent as they really are?

    Syed A. Bokhari
    USA


  52. This is an act of war. You can not shoot a plane which is in its own territory. This is India’s aggressive design. This in not good in any way to any country.

    Liaquat
    Singapore


  53. Pakistan should stop fooling its own people. The plane DID crash in the Indian area, and even if we believe that it was a training plane, which fell 2 kms within Pakistani area, what was a training plane doing near the border?
    Pakistan is restless, because it can not see itself getting humiliated, and has become desperate. Anyway, Pakistan's designs will never materialise. India will remain and become stronger and stronger. One day, Pakistan will become part of India!

    Abdul Juneid
    India


  54. I totally agree that there cannot be any dialogue in this situation. Unfortunate for us; we have a coward enemy. And so they will look for stabbing us in the back to get satisfaction. Shooting down an unarmed patrol aircraft makes me throw up. Indian aggression can be traced back to 1947. Kashmir is not an issue which we have created, but it is a crime Indians have been committing against other territories like Sikim, Goa, etc. Indian Foreign Minister claims that the Pakistani aircraft came straight on to the IAF aircraft ignoring all warnings. No propeller-driven aircraft can challenge a supersonic jet in that manner. By the time you publish my opinion, I am sure the Indians would have changed their statement, like they did in Kargil situation. I would just say that we should be vigilant and keep in our minds the Hindu mentality!

    Arif Khan
    UAE


  55. It is sad news for me. India is a back stabbing country. This incident shows that Indians are the losers. They can not justify this dirty action to the world. This action means they have lost the battle in Kargil. Now they want to satisfy their opposition.

    R.R Rizvi
    USA


  56. Let’s be patient about this situation. India has clearly lost the war on the border but has succeeded in the propaganda war. When Pakistan shot down the Indian fighter aircraft, India officials clamoured that the plane was with in its LoC, so I guess there must have been some very strong winds blowing that day because the plane fell on Pakistani side of the border, almost two miles away from the LOC. And now that India has shot down one of our planes, I don’t think that I need to tell anyone that it was found two miles away from the LOC within Pakistan's borders. So the winds do blow from India towards Pakistan.
    About the Indian media, man they need to stop telling lies. The other day i was watching news on ZTV and the announcer said "Today India has killed 64 Pakistani intruders" and they showed the Indian army officials' press conference in which the spokesman said "We have killed 44 Pakistani intruders today" I must say that there is some propaganda and then there are lies. I think I proved my point. Lastly, we need to do something about our Foreign policy. Ours failed miserably.

    F. Malik
    USA


  57. I don’t agree that dialogue between India and Pakistan should stop because of this small incident. In fact, India did lose some planes during the Kargil conflict. We never made noise about it. I hope Pakistan will absorb this loss (because of its precarious economy and poor foreign exchange position) and won’t do anything funny at a time when it is negotiating with the IMF to shore up its economy.

    Sriki
    India/USA


  58. India has proven by killing 60,000 people in the occupied territory, that it doesn’t believe in peace and I think that Pakistan must develop its arsenal further, for sadly war seems the only solution (which is also shown by the above hostility).

    Akiel Ahmed
    UK


  59. Tit-for-tat response. But, the loss of life is deeply regrettable; 16 Pakistani families will now undergo lifelong torture and this is so sad. May God be with them. I was very happy to know that India downed a Pakistani plane, but the joy was lost when I discovered that 16 precious lives were lost. Pakistan reaped what it sowed. Think about how our families and country felt when Pakistan downed Indian jets and the pilot was killed in cold blood. Pakistan is the main root cause of all the trouble. Just get down to the development of your country, you don’t have to try to take Kashmir from India, and take them also into the hell hole abyss that you (Pakistan) has got yourself into. It is understandable that Pakistan is busy failing as a state and falling apart and begging from the outside world; it doesn’t have to take the Kashmiris with them.

    Grama Praveen
    USA


  60. A partial payback; we still owe you one (from the Kargil days)!

    VJ Kumar
    USA


  61. I still don't understand what is the big deal if people of Kashmir are allowed to decide their future? First, Indians had killed more than 25,000 Sikhs to crush them. Then Tamil lost thousands of their people and in turn took Rajiv's life. Now more than 25,000 people have been killed in Kashmir. How long will India keep on blaming other countries for its problems and keep telling its citizens that other countries are doing all of this? Shooting down a plane that, according to international sources, was 2 miles within the Pakistani area, was a cowardly act. I will not be surprised if some of Indian planes meet the same fate and hear the same excuse that they are using.

    Shawn
    USA


  62. It's very unfortunate that both the countries have lost each other’s trust. This is no good to the people of Pakistan or India. I think the most important and urgent problem is peace, without which none of them can prosper. Tit for tat will lead to ultimate destruction. I think the people of Kashmir on either side of the border will be more happy if there is peace. Let's reconcile to the status quo and convert cease-fire line as LoC. In due course LoC will come down like Berlin wall and there will be peace. Let Pakistan and India concentrate on so many other problems plaguing them. Trying to grab each other’s land will destroy the whole Kashmir.

    Suren
    India


  63. Obviously, if 16 people are shot dead, it will affect Indo-Pak relations. No one will be happy watching his or her countrymen die. But just to put it in perspective- suicidal militants are attacking army camps and civilian population in India. In the last week 16 people have died- both military and civilian. Two ISI officials and their agents were arrested in Assam, in north-east India. It seems 27 Harkat Mujahideen were trained and sent back to blast oil installations and kill people. Other militants wanted to bomb a passenger train. By the grace of God, only a goods train got blasted. And guess where these militants come from, are financed, influenced and directed to spread hatred? Will this not affect the relations between the two countries? Also, there is the perennial talk of Kashmir. Do you know more than a million Hindu Kashmiris had to leave Kashmir because of the militant threats? Indians are pacifists- otherwise they would have annihilated Pakistan for all the crimes it commits against its civilian population and the military. I think we are in a state of war! So where is the question of having good relations?

    Aftab Zaidullah
    USA


  64. It is about time Pakistan came out of hiding in the world arena and showed India and its likes that no one must underestimate our will to stand up to aggression and murder of our people. The shooting down of an unarmed maritime aircraft is a cowardly act. It must not go unpunished. The Indian base, which launched this aircraft to commit the barbaric crime against unarmed patrol aircraft, must be destroyed. If our government fails to do just that or a similar action against India, then it has no right to remain in power. It does not have the trust of the people of Pakistan. I also hope people of Pakistan will not allow the traitors to take advantage of this incident. We must retaliate at all cost, otherwise, one plane down today, more in future. My heart cries for the victims and their families. May ALLAH give us the COURAGE to stand up to evil everywhere.

    Timur Ali
    United Kingdom


  65. Pakistani community living in the United States has strongly condemned the barbarous Indian Army act of shooting down a Pakistani Navy unarmed plane. With this latest development the last week's pledge of both countries to solve their issues with peace is reneged now. Pakistani Immigrants in the US also pledge that they will support the Govt action whichever it decides for any counter attack.

    Basharat Malik, Saddar, Khalid Jamil
    USA


  66. I am from Lahore and have seen both the 1965 and 1971 wars. Wars are waste of money and resources for both Pakistan and India- no doubt about that. The recent shooting down of our unarmed plane by Indian fighter planes should not become a hurdle in our long-term efforts to achieve peace with India. We had already shot down one Indian jet in Kargil- didn't we? This tit for tat has to be stopped. Here is an opportunity for us to exploit this situation in our favour by showing the world that who is a rouge state and whose army is out of control. We must remember that a favourable world opinion matters more than a fleet of jets.
    Pakistan Zindabad.

    Shaukat Khan
    USA


  67. I think Pakistan needs to put a great restraint on its cross border terrorism, without that the relations between India and Pakistan cannot improve. The act of shooting down a plane may have been unnecessary but one has to examine the cause of such an act. The cause itself is greater not the act. The cause has been the growing tension between the two countries, Pakistan has to stop further provocation in Kashmir; it has to stop supporting militants in Kashmir. The militants might have had a reason for carrying on their aggression, but no reason is greater than the people's need for peace. For peace to be established, Pakistan has to stop saying its repeated statement 'we are supporting the people of Kashmir'. If they stick to this statement, peace cannot prevail. Rather the statement of Pakistan government should be 'we will help India find a peaceful solution to the crisis'. There is a great difference between the two sentences.

    Ananth
    USA


  68. I believe it's a good lesson for Mr. Nawaz Sharif who has let down the nation at the hour of need. He considers himself as the man of peace and this is what his so-called version of peace is!

    Shehryar
    Pakistan


  69. I am deeply dismayed by the continuing tensions in the region. Although of similar culture Indians and Pakistanis have significant problems in commitment to secular democracy and I fear that unless this changes bad things will continue to happen for both nations and our mutual progress will continue to fall behind the developed world. We have all the talent in the world and we waste it uselessly in these pointless ideological battles. Religion like tribalism in Africa has been the downfall of our peoples. In Islamic Pakistan, there are too many problems between Shias, Sunnis and other denominations so what really is the justification of a religious state? The Iranians are fed up and they are likely to progress to a more secular identity and leave Pakistan mired in Afghan inspired instability. People like Bal Thackeray in India preach anti-Muslim hatred. The spiritual essence and messages of love in the spirit of equality as lived by Gandhi have been long ignored, forgotten, indeed scorned by too many. It is time for a revolution for peace; there are enough people on both sides whose voices are now dim and inaudible in the rising din of angry rhetoric. They must be heard. The press in both countries must talk to them and let their voices counter the forces of hate and separation to make real change for future generations of the subcontinent. A quote "I am amazed at how men find time to hate when there is so little time for love".

    P Mathew
    USA


  70. Well, enough is enough. Pakistan must reply to India. "And we should declare India a terrorist state".

    S.S Rizvee
    Norway


  71. That's it. India will have it now with full blow. They have sparked an issue, which was showing some signs of getting resolved. Not only have they set ablaze a horrible heap of destruction, but by shooting down an unarmed and literally innocuous aircraft, they have also proved the sorry state of mind these shameless Indians are in. Now it should not be a surprise when Pakistan fights back and retaliates even more furiously. May Allah bless the souls of the "Shaheeds", the martyrs, and help Pakistan in its retaliatory moves. (AAmin)

    Mustafa Shah
    Pakistan


  72. It’s an act of Indian aggression against an unarmed Pakistani military plane. Indians can not be forgiven for this. Pakistan in retaliation must look for an opportunity to down few Indian aircraft as soon as they come close to Pakistani borders. There is no other alternative and we will not accept anything less.

    Nasim Khan
    USA


  73. Yes, of course, we India and Pakistan both can't afford any more wars. We don't have any problem between us except that of Kashmir. If we go for war, the public will be thrown deeper in misery. India and Pakistan should live in peace...Kashmir will not give us any thing.

    Arshad Raja, Khurram Raja, Dr. Amjed Raja
    Great Britain


  74. From the information I have, as of now, I understand the following:
    1. Indian leaders and air force say the plane that violated the Indian air space, was 4 km inside India and it had been warned before being shot; it fell in Indian waters. They also say the plane called 'Atlantic' is a reconnaissance aircraft and was caught spying.
    2. Pakistani leaders say that the plane was within Pakistani airspace and fell in Pakistan.
    3. Foreign media has taken a rather neutral stance but you can’t miss the ridicule in their voices as if saying to us "come on guys, lets not do it all over again".
    My viewpoint is that whoever is guilty (as we shall shortly know if we care to ignore our respective overexposed leaders and watch foreign media channels) this will open up another front of tension between the two countries. Events like this only further tighten the already taut string of peace between the two countries. It is time we asked our respective leaders to stop playing games and take solid steps to reduce tension. That, in my opinion can be done only in one way: LET US START DOING BUSINESS WITH EACH OTHER. LET OUR BUSINESSMEN START BUYING AND SELLING GOODS FROM EACH OTHER. Hell, I own a pair of sneakers, which say Made in Pakistan and they are damn good too. Believe me; this shall make a big difference.

    Malay Dave
    India


  75. Pakistan should avoid war because the country is losing a lot of money.

    Feroz Khan
    Pakistan


  76. Now let's see when does Nawaz Sharif go to master Clinton to complain about the Indian act. We should all send a set of bangles to the PM. If he has some self-respect, he should stop exporting "sugar" to India.

    Shahid Khan
    Pakistan


  77. Being closely associated with our military and especially Pakistan Navy, I am saddened by the downing of ATL 1 maritime aircraft by Indian Air Force. It seems that this move will cause another escalation of conflict between India and Pakistan that, God forbid, might go out of control. Firing at an unarmed aircraft (Atlantique has no air-to-air capability) is an act of cowardice, and against the honourable code Indian military boasts of. A pilot of a Mig-21 cannot open fire on any aircraft till he has orders from his command. That clearly means that those aircraft were scrambled for the sole purpose of a duck shoot, observing an unarmed Pakistani plane near the Indian border. Such an emotional act seems like an act to avenge the earlier downing of two Indians Migs by Pakistan Army air defence.

    But this raises another question: Why was an unarmed plane sent on a 'training' mission with a full crew near Sir creek without escort? PAF provides Pakistan Navy with Air CAP facility when required. If it was a training mission, why was it planned and executed without an armed escort, backup, and in close proximity to Karachi. This was giving India a chance like translating from an Urdu adage, "Come Bull, Hit me."

    I question the judgement and planning of Commander Pakistan Fleet (COMPAK), Commander Karachi (ComKar), CO Mehran, and ultimately NHQ for the loss of Naval capital assets, and irreplaceable loss of the martyred Bahria officers and staff. May Allah rest their souls in peace, for they suffered the mistakes of others in the chain of command.

    Zeeshan Shamsi
    Chicago, USA


  78. I think without knowing the facts, no one should start pointing fingers. Indian authorities claim that the Pakistani aircraft intruded the Indian airspace and when I looked at the Pakistani web sites, they said it was well within Pakistani airspace. Whatever has happened, both countries should stop spying on each other and do something meaningful. There is no point in brooding over the lost aircraft and preparing for a war.

    Rajesh
    USA


  79. The shooting down of the Atlantic aircraft is certainly going to send a clear message to the authorities in Pakistan and specifically to their Air Force that meddling in Indian affairs will at some time prove counterproductive. Constant border violations to test the readiness of the Indian air defence have triggered the appropriate response. It is time that borders were respected and rule of law followed. The argument that an unarmed aircraft was shot will not wash- the PAF will have to answer as to what the aircraft was doing so close to the border, that even if the story of the aircraft crashing 2Kms inside the Pak territory is true. Surely there is enough airspace in Pakistan for the aircraft to carry out its routine flying training. PAK airforce got what it deserved.

    V.K Krishnan
    USA


  80. As much as I hate India, I have to commend it on one of its skills, which almost all non-Muslim countries seem to have mastered these days: that skill is, being on the wrong and coming out right, telling lies as if they were the truth. None of the Muslim countries seems to be able to do this, on the contrary they can't even tell the truth as the truth. We have not been able to tell the world that India is the aggressor and the usurper, yet when we try and take areas that were occupied by it, we are termed insurgents. I do not know if it's more disgust or agony that I feel about the way things are handled. We start something and do not plan for eventualities that may result from foreign pressures. The downing of our plane would make much difference because it is Pakistan's turn to take a silent beating now, the way India did when they suffered the Kargil loss due to their lack of vigilance. Now we don't really know what really happened in Washington but from what it seems we'd have to put up with what ever India does now. But let’s not forget that ultimately it is the military that is responsible for the safety of the motherland. So like always, we might decide to go ahead and teach yet another lesson. I pray and have full hope in the fact that one day India will suffer the fate of nations that try to suppress independence movements. My only regret would be if it learns this lesson from some country other than Pakistan.

    Bilal Ahmed
    USA


  81. I think India has lost all ground for peace talks. India is thinking that she has nuclear power and can take Kashmir by force. India is acting very shamelessly. I think this is only Vajpayee's trick to save his government. He is a very low person and usually tries to fool the poor Indians by such silly moves. Anyway India will not make any good out of it, because if Pakistan replies in the same manner, it will break down like a shattered glass.

    Ajaz Rashid
    USA


  82. Since the Kargil issue, India has been looking for ways to make up for the lapse of security and intelligence on its northwestern border. The Indian military, the fourth largest in the world, was caught off-guard and was played around by a handful of Kashmiri Mujahedeen. So how does the Indian govt. cope with this embarrassment? By shooting down a Pakistan navy plane that was on a training mission, India shows that it is ever alert to any intrusion on its borders. However, the fact remains that neither Pakistan nor India was in any confrontation in the seas, and peace had been restored after the Kargil issue, then why did this event take place? One reason is that India badly wanted to avenge the downing of its Migs in Kargil. The second reason is that it wants to provoke Pakistan so that warfare is initialised in the seas where the Indian navy has superiority in number. Pakistan should not react in a tit for tat manner in this situation but wait for the appropriate time to give a befitting reply. As for the Indians, who have always acted as bullies, they will try to create such scenarios to create tension in the region. Pakistan should stay on her guards for more to come from the Indians.

    Atif Akbar
    USA


  83. Well folks ... Indians are hell bent upon totally crushing Pakistani morale. This is just a fruit of the tree planted by our brilliant leadership. If we just revisit the events that happened some two months back, we'll see that we shot down *TWO* Indian jets entering our territory. Now are we in a position to condemn this attack on our plane? I still remember some opinion penned down in this very forum which celebrated the Pakistani act of shooting down the Indian jets. That person wrote "... and cowards didn't even respond...". So folks, that’s how a war is fought. Now they have responded well and killed our 16 personnel at one go! And since we already have shot their two planes on the grounds of 'violation of air space' we cannot do anything but growl, snarl, cry foul and thump our feet on the ground. Nawaz Sharif will resort to chest beating rhetoric, Pervaiz Musharraf will solemnly swear to inflict heavy 'punishment' upon the 'enemy' and might even resort to major troop build up on LoC. But they will ultimately cool down, as they know very well that Pakistan is caught in a quagmire created by it.

    Atal Behari Vajpayee said recently "there is a limit to our restraint" and folks our leadership is in a class of its own. India has already become the darling of the west. Even sensitised Indian citizens were outraged at the barbarian treatment of their six soldiers by our army. Indians were feeling betrayed after we responded with Kargil to their call of Lahore. Indian public was stunned and started asking for vengeance and baying for Pakistani blood. A step up in militant activities in occupied Kashmir added more fuel to the fire. After winning international sympathy the Indians were just waiting for an opportunity and our blind leadership walked into their trap. They boldly carried on their reconnaissance missions, which were fully manned. Indian newspapers claim eight violations of Indian air space and Pakistan never imagined this might occur. Well their plan was perfect and now here we are…on cross roads! Unable to decide what to do.

    And as far as peace talks are concerned, India doesn't care! They consider Pakistan too much down the ladder to be taken seriously. They just don't care! They consider Pakistan to be constituted of medieval elements with system decayed to the core. They have already rejected any Pakistani offer on talks and I don't see any change in the status quo. If we decide to cross LoC anywhere on the international border they'll respond with full-fledged war this time.

    Well folks for whole two months we were crying for winning in the battlefield and losing on the tables and were constantly looking down upon Indian army might. So our death wish has been fulfilled and I foresee a large-scale military conflict ahead. Pakistan is indeed experiencing the phenomenon of multiple power centres and a confused leadership. God knows how will we respond to the threat ahead. It’s fishing in troubled waters indeed and may Allah preserve our integrity.

    Ahmar Khan Durrani
    Karachi, Pakistan


  84. The only way to react to this act of war is to shoot down an Indian plane, within Indian borders. Pakistan Zindabad! The day we shoot down an Indian plane with at least 16 people on board, I will say 100 rakat shukrana namaz, and 1000 quls to offer my gratitude to Allah, for allowing us the opportunity to avenge the death of 16 of our fellow Muslims and countrymen. I spit on the entire Muslim world. The whole world laughs at the concept of Islamic brotherhood. My fellow Pakistanis do not count on support from any other nation, with the possible exception of Iran, we are all alone. Heck I say we should nuke Delhi, and as many cities of India as we can. Our missile technology is far better than the Indians; if we can produce enough missiles and arm them with nuclear warheads, we may just be able to take out enough Indian weapons and centres, so as to keep any Indian counter attack to a minimal level, and our own losses at an acceptable level. India is blight on the world,
    and needs to be eradicated as soon as possible. Our soldiers showed what they are made of in Kashmir. We won the battles but lost on the diplomatic front, largely because of a total lack of support from our so-called brother Muslim countries. Pakistan Zindabad, and revenge will be ours soon Inshallah.

    Syed
    USA


  85. From the area of wreckage it is clear that the plane was well within Pakistani territory. Indian act is clear aggression. BJP is trying to impose its agenda of Hindutva on all people living in the Sub-continent, whether they like it or not.

    Hosne Ara
    USA


  86. The recent shooting down of a Pakistani unarmed aircraft with 16 souls on board, within the territory of Pakistan, has again set the example for the world in general and for Pakistan in particular, that in today’s world, only power can force Bharat to understand the ways of justice. Pakistan has to suffer more if such an act of international state terrorism is not responded in equal terms.

    S.M Jeelani
    Pakistan


  87. It’s high time not only Pakistan but also the whole world realised the fact that you do not and can not mess with India. Despite all the diverse religions and cultures we as Indians stand united. Any attempt to take even an inch of Indian territory would result in disaster beyond thoughts. Three wars are more than sufficient for any country to realise that the objective being pursued can not be achieved. So I fail to understand why Pakistan still tries these misadventures. Political leaders in Pakistan have been trying to convince the locals that they can win a war against India. That by all standards is a myth. Nobody wins a war. It’s a loss for all the sides participating. Let’s not talk about war or peace. Just let us leave each other alone.

    Baids
    USA


  88. I think India was right in shooting down the plane as it crossed the International border into Rajasthan for 15 minutes. Pakistan had done the same and would have done the same when an Indian Mig 21 crossed the border at Kargil. Also I would like you to put up as current issue, the tremendous amount of cross border terrorism Pakistan is involving in after its debacle in Kargil. How come you are silent about that? Do you think any country
    with a minimum of self-esteem would start any dialog in such a situation?

    Sankar Bandy
    USA


  89. A very cowardly act. Pakistan should withdraw all offers for talks and respond by force. The language India will undestand!

    M. Choudry
    Canada


  90. I am surprised at the number of even educated "Indians" who have written previously and can claim Kashmir to be an integral part of " democratic India". If India is so fair, why ban foreign media and observers from Kashmir? If India is so 'democratic' why is it afraid of holding a plebiscite in Kashmir to grant true self-determination to the people of Kashmir? The truth of the matter is that Kashmir belonged to Pakistan in 1947, still does, no matter what Indians or Hindus say. Two lies don't make a truth- one India is democratic, second Kashmir is part of India. India is only a big fat bully, and now American interests indicate favours towards India, rather than towards Pakistan. India would have been in turmoil had America not bailed it out of the Kargil crisis.
    Pakistan has taught India that it can't bully its way into its neighbour's property. You don't have to go too far to find examples where India has been exerting it’s hegemony on poor and weak neighbours: Nepal, Bangladesh and the unfortunate Sri Lanka are glaring examples. Forget mutual growth, India only wants to see itself grow! It's in India's own best long-term interest to give the whole of Kashmir (India should not have occupied Kashmir in the first place) to Pakistan and make better the land it already has.

    Jack
    USA


  91. India will NOT tolerate any intrusion into its airspace by anyone. Pakistani naval plane was flying and spying in the Indian territory and did not change its course on being challenged. Whatever then happened had to happen and is a lesson for the Pakistani military establishment. Pakistan should realise the implications of such activities and stop spreading terrorism in India. Pakistan should accept the balance of power and learn to live in peace with its neighbours. I hope the bringing down of the Pakistani plane would teach Pakistan a lesson and bring them to senses!

    Mohammad Moid
    India


  92. I think the only way to resolve the Indo-Pakistan conflict is to kill all the Hindus by dropping a Neutron Bomb on India which, InshaAllah, our great Pakistani Scientists are close
    to developing.

    Tariq Aziz
    USA


  93. During the Kargil conflict Pakistan shot down two of India's planes merely because they strayed into Pakistani territory. No warnings were issued. This time around the Indians at least issued warnings to the Pakistani pilot. Isn't that fair and square?

    Anirudh Saxena
    USA


  94. Being an American of American descent with no family ties or heritage in India or Pakistan I think I have an unbiased opinion. To what purpose do all the border problems, killings, shelling, and now a downing of an aircraft, serve peace in your region of the world? All will be in vain if one nuclear weapon is detonated. The eyes of the world are upon you.

    Tim Winslow
    USA


  95. I think India is just happy… and trying to assert itself in the region... after incapacitating Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and other smaller independent states. But Pakistan is proving to be a hard nut to crack. And now with various international examples of being the bully and proving the might is right (Chechnya, Bosnia, Yugoslavia, El Salvador, Falklands) it is not afraid of the puppets like UN and the international community. For Pakistan the best thing is to stop running around the international community like a little child weeping and crying, it should stand on its own feet and fight like a man... make its own policies and stop taking dictations.

    Aamer Aziz
    Japan


  96. Loss of lives is always tragic whether those killed are Indians or Pakistanis. Even after 50 years of independence India and Pakistan do not seem to have grown up. Instead of spending billions of dollars on armaments, and fighting meaningless wars, which benefit no one but the arms dealers and the western countries who manufacture the weapons systems, is it not time to start improving the living conditions of the poor people of both the countries? The amounts spent on the wars could have been spent in improving the industries in both the countries. In both the countries over 70 per cent of the population is below the poverty line and illiterate. Instead of competing in the battlefields, if only our two countries compete in economic field our problems will be solved. Is it because our elected leaders are so stupid that they cannot solve the internal problems (that of providing food and shelter to the masses) that they indulge in these wars?

    Saikumar
    India


  97. Well if the aircraft violated Indian Airspace then there should be no protests or condemnation. Remember Indian aircraft shot in Kashmir?

    Amit Kaistha
    USA


  98. India should have given a warning and let the plane return to Pakistan.

    C. Baxi
    India


  99. This is provocation by India. And now, it becomes necessary for Pakistan to
    respond in an appropriate manner. This is the result of many blunders committed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, overseeing the recent Kashmir crisis, and exploding a nuclear device. Pakistani government has lost all its credibility in diplomatic circles. The government does not have the ability to lead the nation in this critical hour. The Muslim League is credited for the creation of Pakistan, now the party should save Pakistan, by replacing its inept leaders.

    Abdul Rahman
    Canada


  100. Using any weapon that kills human beings is something nobody would appreciate. After the Kargil fiasco, which has taken many innocent lives, this type of action was not expected from any side. This can lead us to a full-fledged nuclear war. Our Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi had never thought in his wildest dreams that
    the country for which he is fighting, one day one portion of that will drop nuclear bomb on the other portion, destroying the existence of (the then) India from the geography.

    Anand Jha
    United Kingdom


  101. It is sad to know that India shoots down Pakistani naval aircraft inside the Pakistani border. Pakistan has to reply, TIT for TAT. I believe the issue can be resolved only by "SINCERE" talks. I am afraid to say that Mr. Vajpayee and his government are playing dirty politics just to gain some sort of sympathies from the people of India; and he is using the issue for his own sake for the forthcoming election.

    Syed Amir Hasan
    Abu-Dhabi, U.A.E.


  102. Good Shot! But the score is still 1:3.
    Two more to go.

    Sudhir Rao
    India


  103. This is definitely NOT a positive step taken by India. On the one hand they want to defuse tension and on the other, they shoot down a Pakistani plane. I am sure, after few days/weeks India will also lose another plane/helicopter. This cycle should stop now.

    Omar
    USA


  104. Indian Airforce had to show their performance after having been outplayed at Kargil. Albeit they only shot down a Pakistan Navy Fokker Reconnaissance aircraft, this act will stuff the appetite of many Indians. Unfortunately, the people living in both countries are destined to face war and destruction for another few generations. As long as there isn't a leadership of reason and hope in both countries; these small incidents and deaths will continue to occur. Good Luck,

    Shahid Masud
    UK


  105. Firstly, let me say that in a situation such as this one, the exact facts will never be unearthed. It may well be that both sides believe they are telling the truth, which itself may have been very different. A million things could have happened -inexperienced pilot, misunderstandings during the conversation, a bad instrument on the plane etc.. There is simply no point in accusing each other. The best thing to do is this: understand that war is bad; that this money we can simply not afford to spend on weapons when our children are dying of hunger. Can I expect Pakistanis to support me in this cry for peace?

    Vinay
    USA


  106. Pakistan downed two of India's jets during Kargil war. India was looking for revenge. The recent downing of a Pakistani plane was one of those retaliatory actions. Indian jets were shot down for no apparent reason during the Kargil war. And now the Pakistani plane was also shot down with the same kind of story what was executed with Indian jets. "Violation of AirSpace".

    Karam
    USA


  107. The IAF shot down the aircraft which was intruding the Indian air space. The reason sounds familiar to the Pakistani reason for downing the Indian MIG (which of course was followed by the typically brutal and primitive slaying of the downed pilot by Pakistani Army barbarians). You Pakistanis have got a taste of your own medicine. The plane clearly fell within the Indian territory, so please stop crying. As far as normalisation of relations between the 2 countries, India will have to stoop really low to shake hands with Pakistan, especially after the betrayal in Kargil. We are enemies, forever.

    Rahul Sood
    USA


  108. This incident is an indication that when you play with fire there is a likelihood of getting your hands burned. Pakistan's infatuation with Kashmir is not based on religion; India has more Muslims than Pakistan and they are like our brothers. Indian Muslims fought for their country in Kashmir. Pakistan has to learn to live as an independent and mature country. It is funny to read how many articles have been written in Pakistani press regarding lessons from Kargil. I don't know why don't you learn from what you have written. Obviously you are smart enough to recognise what has to be done, but must be dumb enough not to implement. We can and should live like brothers, which we are. We should have open borders like the one existing between USA and Canada. And for the sake of God stop making religion a scapegoat for your insecurities.

    Raj
    USA


  109. India has shown its aggression again by shooting an unarmed plane. Pakistan should seek immediate help from USA to resolve the Kashmir issue. Instead of responding in the same kind, this is the best opportunity for Pakistan to seek favours from the USA. There is now ample proof that the plane was shot down in Pakistani territory and India should be exposed for continuous violation of air space.

    There is a favourable response from USA for Pakistan on this incident; opportunity is here to capitalise it, as any war with India at this time is not going to bring any results. Let the USA take charge, as the world knows that India is seeking to become the 6th super power and not Pakistan. India will have the same fate as its non-aligned friends like Russia, Yugoslavia, Iraq. Pakistan just has to stand on the line and watch. In the end I would like to pray for the 16 martyrs and comfort for their families.

    Shakil
    USA/Pakistani


  110. I think India did wise and shot down the Pakistani aircraft just to show the latter that they mean business and cannot be taken lightly. It is high time Pakistan stopped these kinds of silly forays into enemy territory and incited passion in our country using the martyrs who were sacrificed in the crash.

    Iqbal
    Pakistan


  111. Very Good.....more will happen in the future.....if they cross our air space.

    Jogeshwar Kalita
    India


  112. Yes, I think Pakistan should take a clear stance; no talks until the Kashmir issue is settled.

    Fareed
    USA

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