NEW DELHI – After a long gap, Pakistan seems to be upping the ante in theSaurashtra-Kutch region of Gujarat. There have been reports that Pakistanhas developed an airbase along the Gujarat border, India Today has reported.

The country has developed a modern airfield in Bholari for militaryaircraft operations close to the border with India in the Hyderabaddistrict of Pakistan’s Sindh province. The Pakistan Air Force is going todeploy its fleet of Chinese JF-17 fighters here.

“Though the airfield has been in existence for some time now, activitieslike intensive flying of combat aircraft is a recent phenomenon,” sourcestold IndiaToday.in. The Pakistani Air Force is inducting a large number ofJF-17s from China to match the Indian Air Force capabilities on its easternfront.

Pakistan’s Special Service Group (Navy) commandos are also based in thevicinity of the Hyderabad base.

Following the rapid development on the Pakistan side, the Cabinet Committeeon Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already cleared thesetting up of a forward fighter base in Deesa, Gujarat.

The airfield will plug the air gaps on the border but will take at leastthree to four years to extend the runway, construct fighter pens and otherinfrastructure.