PARTIES UNITE TO PRAISE FORCES
Opposition parties and the ruling BJP’s partners united in praising the army operation across the Line of Control in a rare show of non-partisanship
The security forces are on the highest state of alert and prepared for a counteroffensive from Pakistan after India’s Special Forces carried out surgical strikes against terror launchpads in Pakistanoccupied-Kashmir (PoK).
Top army sources said military plans were in place to deal with any contingency and the possibility of a flare up had been factored in.
“There is no point in unleashing a punch without being prepared to ward of a counter punch,” the sources said, amid rising hostilities between the two countries. The air force and navy are on high alert too.
The army and the BSF have fortified their defences at forward posts to thwart any retaliatory strike. “The Centre has advised all the states to remain on high alert,” said a home ministry spokesperson.
The border states started evacuating villagers after the home ministry asked Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir to move people living within 10km of the border or Line of Control — the de factor border with Pakistan — to safer locations.
While the BSF called up reserves, fishermen were told to report suspicious activities as India prepared for any fallout of the cross-border states.
The directive came within hours of the Indian Army’s announcement that it had conducted surgical strikes and inflicted heavy damage on seven “launchpads” militants were preparing to use to cross over into the country.
The raid comes 11 days after 18 soldiers were killed when suspected Pakistani suicide attackers struck an army camp in Uri in Kashmir.
The BSF put all its units on “high alert” in Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The units were asked to step up vigil and bolster their numbers by bringing in all personnel who were in the reserve, officials said.
The ceremonial beating retreat ceremony at the Wagah border was called off, BSF sources said. The flag was lowered in the evening but without the usual fanfare as locals and tourists who were turned away, sources said. The BSF, officials said, had restricted all civilian movement along the border.
The movement of trucks on the trade routes on the LoC in Uri and Poonch sectors was also brought to a halt.
“We have asked border villagers living along IB (international border) and LoC to shift to safer area as a precautionary measure,” Jammu deputy commissioner Simrandeep Singh said.
Villagers started moving out from forward locations in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts, which often bear the brunt of Pakistan shelling.
Neighbouring Punjab, which has six districts bordering Pakistan, was on maximum alert. Home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and requested immediate evacuation. The schools in the border areas were shut till further orders and leaves of police and medical personnel cancelled, sources said.
Local authorities used public address systems in gurdwaras, asking residents to move to safer zones.
Badal asked senior officials to ensure that evacuation from Ferozepur, Fazilka, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts was smooth.
Though no such orders have been given to Rajasthan — so far — security has been stepped up in the desert state.
Officials in the border districts were told to be ready for any situation, a home department official said.
The official said light machine guns were given to all police stations in border villages and a meeting of district, police, BSF and army officials called to assess the situation.
In Kutch district of Gujarat, fishermen were asked not to venture into deep sea and report any suspicious movement.
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