Afraid of losing POK, Pakistan Air Force opens base near Srinagar; what will India do?

Pakistan has again been active on an offensive front as it reopened two air bases near Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar. The two airbases are situated close to Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. These bases were closed for some years.  

Kotli and Rawalkot are only 100 kilometres away from Srinagar. The move has come few days after the Balochistan Liberation Army attacked a passenger train in Bolan region taking at least 155 passengers hostage. In this light, Pakistan’s army strengthening its base in Balochistan’s Shamsi is also significant and points to instability in the region.  

The Kotli air-base is situated in the area under the army’s 3 POK brigade, that comes under the 23 Division. To strengthen the base, more than a hundred air-defense troops have shifted to Kotli. On the other hand, the Rawalkot air-base reports to 2 POK Brigade of the 12 division. This air-base has been shut down for four years.   

The Shamsi area has seen much engagement as the 403 Squadron of helicopters has moved in the area where communication and radar networks are monitored for further use.  

The nation’s army is building a cantonment near Shahbaz, which is the the Air Force’s base in Jacocabad in Sind. To build the cantonment, the army has obtained land spread across more than 7,000 acres. The army also has a base in Nasirabad, in Balochistan. The Pakistan government has already acquired 26,000 acres for the base. 

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) construction near LoC is a potential threat to India. The reopening of the two airbases reminds of Indian Air Force’s strike in Balakot on February 26, 2019 in which India’s warplanes attacked Balakot base in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and came back winning.