ISLAMABAD: Renowned American defence analyst Dr. C. Christine Fair has categorically dismissed Indian claims of shooting down Pakistani fighter jets during the recent conflict, bluntly calling them “bakwas” — a colloquial Urdu term meaning “nonsense.”
Speaking on Indian journalist Karan Thapar’s programme The Interview on The Wire, Dr. Fair rejected assertions by Indian Air Marshal P.K. Bharti that the Indian Air Force had destroyed a significant number of Pakistani aircraft and inflicted heavy damage on key airbases.
“There is certainly no evidence,” she said, responding to Bharti’s claim that 20 percent of Pakistan’s air force had been rendered unusable. “I am astonished by the claim… I’ve never heard that before. It’s quite an astonishing claim — and most certainly false.”
When pressed directly by Thapar about Indian assertions of downing Pakistani jets, Fair interrupted: “Bakwas. There’s no evidence for it.”
The satellite images cited by Indian officials, which allegedly showed damage to airbases in Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, Jacobabad, and Bholari, were also dismissed by Fair as unsubstantiated.
Dr. Fair’s outright rejection is particularly notable given her frequent criticism of Pakistan’s policies in the region — a fact that lends weight to her rebuttal of India’s narrative.
Her remarks have triggered wide debate on social media, with users questioning the credibility of Indian military claims in the absence of independent verification.
The exchange comes amid heightened tensions and a flurry of conflicting narratives from both sides following recent hostilities, further underscoring the need for transparency and evidence-based reporting in matters of national security and cross-border conflict.
