Owaisi mocks Pakistan PM, Army chief with 'leased Chinese aircraft' jibe

Asaduddin Owaisi mocks Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir after Indian strike on Rahim Yar Khan airbase asks if they can land their leased Chinese aircraft now

Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday mocked Pakistan’s top leadership after reports confirmed that the Rahim Yar Khan airbase has been rendered non-operational following an Indian retaliatory strike.

 

In a post on X, Owaisi wrote, “Can Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir manage to land their leased Chinese aircraft at the Rahim Yar Khan airbase?” 

His remarks came amid reports of significant damage to the airbase’s only runway.

 

According to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) on Saturday, the Rahim Yar Khan airbase in Punjab province has been declared closed for flight operations until 18 May. The notice cites “work in progress” as the reason for the closure, but the timing coincides with the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) precision strikes on 10 May.

 

As reported by The Indian Express, the airbase’s runway was shut at 4:00 pm local time, with the closure expected to last until at least 4:59 am local time on 18 May. Satellite imagery released by the Indian Air Force reportedly confirms damage to the airstrip. 

 

A Times of India report stated that the strike was part of a broader military operation, during which a Squadron Leader and four other Pakistan Air Force personnel were killed. The Indian retaliation was in response to airspace violations and followed Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) after the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.

 

Rahim Yar Khan was among six key Pakistani military sites hit during the operation. Other targets included airbases at Rafiki, Murid, Chaklala, Sukkur and Juniya. The confrontation led to missile and drone exchanges across the Line of Control (LoC) before both sides agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday evening.

 

The Rahim Yar Khan airbase, located near the India-Pakistan border in Punjab province, shares its infrastructure with Sheikh Zayed International Airport. It serves both civilian and military functions and is considered a critical forward base for Pakistan’s eastern defence.