ISLAMABAD – French authorities have denied an Indian media report claimingthat Pakistani pilots have trained on Rafale aircraft sold to Qatar.
The French ‘clarification’ came after ainonline.com, described by NDTV asan independent media firm which focuses on the aviation sector reportedthat “the first batch of pilots trained for Qatar in November 2017 werePakistani exchange officers”.
According to Jon Lake, the author of the piece, “Escadron de Chasse 04.030was established at Mont-de-Marsan as the Qatar Rafale Squadron on Oct 1,2017,” NDTV said.
Referring to the ainonline.com story, Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler wasquoted as slamming the report as false. “I can confirm that it is fakenews.” French government sources have told NDTV that they havecross-checked details of this article.
Qatar took delivery of its first Rafale at Dassault’s Merignac facility onFebruary 6 this year. In a press statement, Dassault had said Qatar hadsigned up for 24 Rafale fighters in May 2015.
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In December 2017, it ordered an additional 12 fighters. The deal for thefirst 24 fighters is valued at euro 6.3 billion.
NDTV said Pakistani military personnel have been deputed to operate withthe armed forces of several Middle Eastern countries for decades.
In January 2018, there were reports the visit of the Commander of the QatarEmiri Air Force to Pakistan Air Force Headquarters in Islamabad. Pakistan’sAir Chief reportedly “offered support and cooperation in the field ofaviation and military training” to his counterpart, NDTV said.
