Pakistani Air Force deploying JF-17 Fighter Jets to Skardu near Ladakh, India watching closely

Highlights

• 3 C-130 transport aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force were used on Saturday to ferry equipment to their Skardu air base

• Equipment moved to the forward operating base could be support equipment for fighter aircraft operations

• Skardu is located in PoK, close to Ladakh

Amid the ongoing tensions with Pakistan over the abrogation of the Article 370, Pakistani forces have started moving equipment to their forward bases close to Ladakh. "Three C-130 transport aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force were used on Saturday to ferry equipment to their Skardu air base opposite the Union Territory of Ladakh. The Indian agencies concerned are keeping a close eye on the movement of Pakistanis along the border areas," government sources told ANI. Pakistanis are most likely to move in their JF-17 fighter planes to the Skardu air field, they said. Sources said the equipment moved to the forward operating base could be support equipment for fighter aircraft operations. The Indian intelligence agencies along with the Air Force and Army are keeping a close watch on the movement of the Pakistani Air Force. The Indian intelligence agencies along with the Air Force and Army are keeping a close watch on the movement of the Pakistani Air Force as they can see almost the entire length and breadth of Pakistan. The Pakistanis use an older version of the C-130 transport aircraft supplied by the Americans a long time ago. Sources said the Pakistan Air Force was planning to conduct an exercise and the move of shifting planes to the forward base could also be a part of it. Skardu is a forward operating base of the Pakistan Air Force used to support its Army operations on the border with India. Pakistan has been trying to make a big issue out of India's decision of scrapping Article 370 and bifurcating Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.