Air Chief Says We have The Technology To Stop Drone Attacks While Rahman Malik Says We Do Not Have

Air Force is fully capable of stopping missile attacks by pilotless American drones but it is up to the government to decide whether to do that, Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Tanvir Mahmood said on Tuesday.
Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed said it was up to the government to decide whether to stop such strikes through diplomatic and political means or by force. The Air Force is ready for any type of air defence, he told reporters in Karachi during IDEAS 2008 defence equipment exhibition at the Expo Centre. First this nation, you people, our parliament, our government, has to debate how we have to engage the foreign UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). Whether we have to engage them diplomatically and politically to resolve it or engage them militarily, he said.
The Air Force Chief said that PAF is fully capable to stop drones flights and missile strikes, adding that the government should hammer out a consensus policy in connection with the airstrikes by US forces.
Responding to a question, he said most of the fighter aircraft of PAF would reach their life in next few years after which JF-17 Thunder fighters would be added to fill the gap. The PAF fighter jets are fully capable to carry all kinds of warheads, he commented. Lt-Gen Ahsan Azhar Hyat, Corps Commander Karachi, said the participation of the foreign delegates in the defence exhibition has proved that Pakistan is a peaceful and responsible country, adding Pakistani arms and ammunitions stand at par with the world standard.
Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim also visited the exhibition and said that IDEAS-2008 has contributed to boosting the national image and will augment the exports of defence products.
Amin said that the contacts of Pakistan with the other countries will be instrumental for a better market abroad.