Turkey on Monday denied claims that it sent six aircraft loaded with weapons to Pakistan, saying a Turkish Air Force transport plane landed in Pakistan only for refueling before continuing on its scheduled route, the Sözcü daily reported, citing a statement by the defense ministry.
The ministry said, “The claim that ‘Turkey sent six aircraft loaded with weapons to Pakistan,’ which was reported in some media outlets, is not true. A transport plane departing from Turkey landed in Pakistan for refueling. It then continued its flight on the designated route.”
The statement urged the public not to trust speculative news reports made without statements from authorized persons or institutions.
The claims emerged as tensions rose between Pakistan and India following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. Gunmen killed 26 people near the town of Pahalgam, leading to a series of retaliatory measures between the two countries.
Following the attack, India suspended the flow of water from the Indus River Basin to Pakistan and expelled Pakistani diplomats. Pakistan responded by expelling Indian diplomats and threatening to suspend the Simla Agreement, which regulates control over the Kashmir region.
Amid the growing tensions, several Pakistani social media accounts shared photographs of a Turkish C-130 military aircraft in Pakistan. They claimed that Turkey had sent six transport planes carrying drones, weapons and missiles in support of Pakistan. Some posts described Turkey as providing “quiet but strong support.”
🇹🇷🇵🇰"The aircraft arriving from Turkey, which landed a short while ago in Pakistan, were loaded with heavy military equipment and various other military supplies pic.twitter.com/iIOUE0qaku
— Pakistan military (@Pakistanmilita) April 27, 2025
The defense ministry’s statement refuted the claims, confirming that only one aircraft landed briefly in Pakistan for logistical reasons and that it continued on its planned mission afterward.
The situation between Pakistan and India remains tense, with both sides engaging in military activities along the Line of Control.