Pak rebuffs claim, says it was staged
After India announced that it conducted surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan on Thursday rejected the claim, saying that New Delhi is doing it only to please the media and public.
In a statement, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday said, “The Pakistani Army gave a befitting response to the Indian army. Indian Army opened up small arm fire on Wednesday night on five sectors across LoC. India is doing this under a well-planned objective. If India tries to do this again, we will respond forcefully. India is doing this only to please their media and public.”
Denying the claims, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) earlier said, “There has been no surgical strike by India, instead there had been cross border fire initiated and conducted by India which is existential phenomenon”, reports Geo News.
ISPR, however, confirmed that two Pakistani soldiers were killed in the crossfire.
The statement came after the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Defence Ministry on in a joint statement announced that the Indian Army had carried out multiple surgical strikes in various locations along the Line of Control late on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif warned India not to take Pakistan's peaceful intent "as our weakness". Sharif denounced what he called was an "unprovoked and naked aggression" by Indian forces. Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying
that the Indian operation led to the death of two Pakistani soldiers. "Our intent for peaceful neighbourhood should not be mistaken as our weakness as our valiant forces are fully capable of defending the territorial integrity of our country," the Prime Minister said. He said Pakistan can "thwart any evil design made to undermine the sovereignty of Pakistan". In a fresh rhetoric, Sharif said that Kashmir was "unfinished agenda of partition" and Pakistan would continue to provide support to Kashmiris in their struggle for self-determination. "Jammu and Kashmir dispute is an unfinished agenda of the partition of the sub-continent," Sharif said. "No power can deter us from supporting our Kashmiri brethren in their just and legitimate struggle for the exercise of their right to self-determination guaranteed to them by the UNSC relevant resolutions," he said. Sharif condemned what he described as Indian violation of LoC and said Pakistan was capable of defending itself. "No external force has the capability or capacity to challenge the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan. We have the best armed forces in the world and we are proud of that," he said. According to several statements by PMO, Sharif spent a hectic day, consulting his aides on the security situation. Sharif was briefed regularly by the security institutions on the situation on the LOC. National Security Adviser Nasir Janjua submitted a comprehensive report on the LOC situation to the PM office. Sharif showed satisfaction on the level of preparedness of Pakistani armed forces. Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan met Sharif and discussed the security situation. Sharif has convened a cabinet meeting on Friday. He also called a meeting of National Security Committee on Tuesday with special invitation to all the Chief Ministers to deliberate at length the emerging scenario across the Line of Control and "brutal state oppression" in Kashmir.