Army strikes at Pak posts in a strong message against cross border terror
23 May, New Delhi
he Indian Army today said it struck at Pakistani posts in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir to check infiltration in the valley.
Army action, which was lauded by Defence Minister Arun jaitley, came two days after the Army killed four militants in an encounter along the LoC in Naugam sector.
Army Spokesperson Maj Gen Ashok Narula told reporters here that these strikes were punitive fire assaults, which were carried out from time to time to dissuade Pakistanis from helping the terrorists. However, Pakistan has denied that that any assault across LoC had taken place.
”Indian claims of destroying Pakistani posts along LoC in the Naushera sector and firing by Pak army on civilians across LoC are false,” Director General of Interservices Public Relations Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor tweeted.
‘’We take punitive action around LoC, so that infiltration attempts are reduced. With the melting of ice and opening of passes, there is risk of an increase in infiltration attempts. We want peace in Kashmir, and it is important that we improve counter-terrorist operation,” he said.
The Army action came amidst heightened tension between the two countries over the issue of death sentence to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav given by a military court of Pakistan, and the ICJ ordering Pakistan not to carry out the the order till final disposal of India’s plea.
Meanwhile, a video released by the Army shows loud explosions and thick smoke rising from Pakistani posts after a round of heavy firing from India. According to a senior Army official, the pro-active counter-terrorism operations were carried out recently. Major Narula said that infiltrators were entering into the Indian side under the cover of fire launched by the Pakistan Army.
He urged Pakistan not to resort to such actions, as it also affects civilians in villages. It was essential to bring down the number of terrorists in Kashmir, so that the youth of the valley were not adversely affected by the terrorists from abroad, he added. The Army had in September carried out surgical strikes on the launch pads of terrorists across the LoC, but Pakistan had denied that any raids were carried out by the Army.
Defence commentators said that heavy firing by the Indian Army indicated that it would not shy away from taking strict action to foil the designs of infiltrators, aided by Pakistani Army, with a view to foment trouble in Jammu and Kashmir. While during the surgical strikes in September 2016, Indian soldiers had crossed the LoC and destroyed terror launch pads, in the latest action. the Army used bunker busting guns and heavy mortars to destroy the Pakistani posts.
The recent terror attacks on Indian Army camps and mutilation of the bodies of two Indian troopers have evoked national outrage. The Army had indicated that it would choose the time and method of retaliation against the Pakistan Army.