An ejection seat believed to be from a Pakistani Air Force Mirage V fighter jet was discovered in Lahore, sparking speculation that Pakistan may have lost one of its aircraft amid a night strike from India.
CORRECTION: This story was updated on May 8 to clarify that the Pakistani Air Force fighter jet seen in the video crashed on April 15.
Footage showing the seat was first shared on TikTok earlier today. While the video’s authenticity and the exact time of recording remain unverified, the imagery clearly shows a military ejection system consistent with that used in Pakistan’s Mirage V fighter jet.
The appearance of such a critical component has fueled debate over the circumstances that may have led to the ejection. Some observers have suggested a possible case of friendly fire or mechanical failure, though official sources have not confirmed any aircraft loss.
According to earlier reports, neither Indian nor Pakistani fighter jets were said to have crossed into the other’s airspace during the recent exchange of hostilities.
The discovery in Lahore may point to internal complications within the Pakistani Air Force’s operations. “What is clear from the video is that the seat is consistent with the Martin-Baker systems used in Mirage V jets,” said an open-source intelligence analyst familiar with regional air assets.
It was later revealed that the published video was recorded on April 15, 2025, when a fighter jet crashed during a training flight near Vehari town in Punjab. Both crew members ejected and survived.
The Mirage V, a long-serving multirole fighter in the Pakistani fleet, has seen upgrades over the years but remains vulnerable to both enemy fire and system fatigue. In previous years, several aircraft have been lost in training incidents and patrol operations due to age-related wear or maintenance issues.