LAHORE  -  Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that Pakistan has video footages of the six Indian aircraft shot down during a brief military confrontation between both the neighbouring states in May this year.

Pakistan said it downed six Indian planes during the conflict, including advanced French-made Rafale jets. India’s highest-ranking general has also acknowledged that its forces suffered losses in the air, but denied losing six aircraft.

“I was involved in several matters surrounding the war with India and was privy to several key pieces on information,” said the interior minister while addressing a seminar here on Sunday.

“The army, air force, navy and government have all been acknowledged during the past month-and-a-half, but our intelligence agencies were doing important work behind the scenes,” he said while appreciating the important role played by these security agencies.

“Our institutions had information on India’s (plans) well ahead of time. We knew whatever they (India) planned, what aircraft they would use. Our intelligence agencies’ role was so important, but they do not come forward. We need to acknowledge them.”

The interior minister said that when Indian planes were downed, the decision was made not to announce this without evidence.

“We had radar data, but we needed field evidence,” he explained. “Within minutes, we received video footage of all six planes which were shot down. We have this footage.”

Naqvi then outlined two incidents where seven Indian missiles struck a Pakistani base, adding that once they were launched, it became clear they were heading across the border.

“People got worried, we have important hardware at this base,” he said, not mentioning the base’s name or location. “Not a single missile hit that base. Some fell short, some hit outside the base.

“When we launched our missiles, we targeted military installations near populated areas, but made every effort to avoid civilian casualties,” Naqvi added. “We destroyed one of their biggest oil depots and there were no civilian casualties. That is when we knew that God was helping us.”

The interior minister added that Nur Khan Airbase near Rawalpindi, which was struck by Indian missiles, suffered no damage.

“We had damage at one base where a member of the air force was martyred, but that’s about it,” he said.