India conducted surgical strikes last night along the LoC to
safeguard our nation, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday. “Significant
casualties have been caused to terrorists and those trying to shield them. We
don’t have a plan to further conduct such strikes. India has spoken to
Pakistan,” DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said.
“… Now, based on very specific and credible information we
received yesterday, that some terrorist teams had positioned themselves at
launch pads along the LoC with an aim to carry out infiltration and terrorist
strikes in Jammu and Kashmir and various other metros in our country. There
were launch pads at the LoC where terrorists were present waiting to infiltrate
the nation and attack areas in Kashmir and metros across the country,” the DGMO
said.
No Indian casualties occurred during the surgical strikes
that were carried out last night by the Indian Army.
“We have recovered items including GPS which have Pakistani
markings. Captured terrorists hailing from PoK or Pakistan have confessed to
their training in Pakistan or in Pakistan controlled region,” Singh said.
“I spoke to the Pak DGMO, shared our concerns and told him
that we conducted surgical strikes last night: DGMO Singh said.
PM Narendra Modi had informed President Pranab Mukherjee,
Vice President and former Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh on the surgical
strikes. J&K Governor and CM Mehbooba Mufti have also been informed about
the surgical strike.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has informed Chief Ministers of
Punjab, West Bengal and Odisha, CPI-M’s Sitaram Yechury and Congress’ Ghulam
Nabi Azad about surgical strikes.
The press conference was jointly conducted by the Ministry
of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence.
Meanwhile, Pakistan, in a statement issued has said: At
least two Army men were killed as Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire
over the Line of Control in “Azad Jammu and Kashmir”. The exchange of fire
began at 2:30am, ISPR said, and continued till 8:00am. “Pakistani troops
befittingly responded to Indian unprovoked firing on the LoC in Bhimber,
Hotspring Kel and Lipa sectors,” the statement said.
India had repeatedly warned Pakistan not to allow its
territory to be used for terrorist activities. Besides, India had called for an
international diplomatic boycott of Pakistan as it shielded terrorists on its
land. At the United Nations General Assembly, External Affairs Minister Sushma
Swaraj said Pakistan was a terror state and it need to rein in terror elements.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a
meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to discuss the ceasefire
violations along the Line of Control. Also present at the meeting were Home
Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, NSA Ajit Doval, and
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.
Three ceasefire violations by Pakistan were reported along
the LoC in the last 24 hours.
Prime Minister Modi was also scheduled to hold a high-level
meeting on Thursday to review the Most Favoured Nation status granted to
Pakistan, but that meeting has now been rescheduled for next week.
India had also summoned Pakistan high commissioner Abdul
Basit and handed over evidence that proved the terrorists that attacked an army
base in Uri and left 19 jawans dead, did come in from across the Line of
Control.
Courtesy: The Indian Express
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