Pakistan Military shoots down 'Indian spy drone'

The Pakistan army reportedly shot down an Indian spy drone that was being used for aerial photography along the Line of Control (LoC) in Bhimber sector of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Local Urdu TV channel Express News, quoting the Pakistan army's mouth piece the Inter Services Public Relations, said that the Indian drone was shot down for violating the Line of Control (LOC).

The LOC divides the two countries into the disputed Kashmir region.

The Indian drone was taking pictures of different sites in the area when it was shot down by the army deployed in the sector, the Pakistan army claimed.

Pakistan's foreign ministry has also summoned the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad to lodge protest over the LOC violation by the Indian spy drone.

But the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force denied that any of their drones had crashed or had been shot down. A spokesperson of the Indian Army said, “No drone or UAV crash of the Indian Army has taken place.” An IAF spokesperson too denied that their drone had been brought down.

In July, another drone had crashed near the working boundary in Shakargarh sector, which was 'taken into custody' by Pakistani security forces. However, it was later clarified that the drone was operated by Pakistan Rangers.

Earlier in May, a pigeon which crossed the Indo-Pak border into India's Pathankot area was captured and detained for being a 'suspected spy'.

"Picture of drone shows it's not of Indian design or available in Indian armed forces' inventory. It appears to be of Chinese design. We will not let our guard down," Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said.