Pakistan deploying fighter jets to Skardu near Ladakh

NEW DELHI: 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, according to a report by /www.livemint.com.

"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.

Sources said the equipment moved to the forward operating base could be support equipment for fighter aircraft operations.

Pakistanis are most likely to move in their JF-17 fighter planes to the Skardu air field, they said.

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 and one of their military rulers Gen Zia Ul Haq was also killed in power when the C-130 in which he was travelling crashed in August 1988 due to a bomb explosion.