A FITTING RESPONSE
• • • • • akistan has denied that these were surgical strikes. One does not expect them to admit it anyway. Post-midnight on Wednesday-Thursday the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes at terrorists and their protectors across the Line of Control in the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Pakistan officially admitted that two of its soldiers were killed in firing by the Indian Army. In Indian Army operations in the wee hours of Thursday, scores of terrorists were killed and several of their launch pads destroyed. In the early morning briefing by Lt General Ranbir Singh, the Director General of Military Operations, the nation was taken into confidence. Following several terror attacks, including in Poonch and Uri, and after several aborted attacks, the army undertook the mission to neutralise the launch pads of the terrorists on the Pakistani side of the LOC. Striking up to three kilometers inside the Pak-held territory, the army claimed there were massive casualties of terrorists, their guides and handlers. Besides, eight of the launch pads from where terrorists crossed into India were smashed. The DGMO said that various stores, including GPS and items originating in Pakistan were recovered. A few terrorists were captured alive who have since confessed that they were trained and armed by Pakistan. Also, Lt General Singh said that he had been in touch with his Pakistani counterpart and had informed him about the operations carried out by the Indian Army. The Cabinet Committee on Security met under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi on Thursday morning. The President, the Vice-President and leaders of various opposition parties and chief ministers were briefed about the operations. Though Pakistan denied, as it would, the severity of the surgical operations, the Indian Army seems to have kept its word to avenge the Uri attack on September 18, in which it had lost 20 of its men, at a time and location of its choosing. There were no Indian casualties in the Wednesday-Thursday morning operations. The Indian armed forces have been on high alert since the Uri attack. Ground troops and helicopter-borne paracommandos were involved in the surgical attacks. While the military did its job, the political leadership too was fully engaged in isolating Pakistan. The fact that the upcoming meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in Islamabad has now become a non-starter with India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan deciding to boycott it is now undeniable. Pakistan cannot expect ‘business as usual’ and seek regional cooperation even as it sends out its jihadis and other non-State actors to attack India and targets in other neighbouring nations, including Afghanistan. Pakistan may be unbothered by the boycott of the Islamabad meeting of the SAARC by key member-States, but unless it renounces terrorism as a foreign policy tool, sooner than later even its powerful friends like China and the US will feel obliged to shun it. For China too is wary of Islamic terrorism targeted against its nationals and installations in Pakistan while the Americans feel constrained to keep the Pakistani generals in good humour only because they are keen for a quick pullout from the Afghan quagmire. Admittedly, the religious bond will grant Pakistan a rather long rope in the Islamic world.
Since Uri, the Modi Government has sought to pressure Pakistan in multiple ways, including on the Line of Control in Kashmir. But it is unlikely that Pakistan will renege on jihadi exports. Therefore, any lowering of the guard should be definitely ruled out. And efforts to paint Pakistan a terrorist State must continue unabated. Terrorism is the scourge of modern times. Nations, including the most developed and militarily strong, face the threat from Islamic jihadis and/or lone wolves sympathetic to them. Saddled with a hostile geography and a suspect demography, India is particularly vulnerable to terror attacks originating in Pakistan, the Terror Central of the world. Upgrading military and security preparedness and a constant vigil have become absolutely imperative. Hopefully, the Opposition parties will resist the temptation to undermine national morale by questioning the success of the surgical operations. Such cheap tactics achieve nothing while they demoralise the security forces. The need for national unity to fight the perpetrators of terror cannot be exaggerated. The country must learn to speak in one voice on fighting terror. Summary: Infiltrate, neutralize terrorists, exfiltrate, professionalism all along *like a boss* #IndianArmy #IndiaStrikesBack #SurgicalStrike It was a LOC cross fire. Funny to see how much the Indians are happy by the lollipop given to them by their govt. #SurgicalStrike After successful #SurgicalStrike Modi govt asked its bhakts to hype it so much to give credits to modi. It's the army that must be credited. Dear Pak terrorists, no need 2 cross LOC for getting killed. Army has started home delivery. Special offer #SurgicalStrike Swachh Bharat Abhiyan gets extended to PoK.