PAK WILL PAY, WARNS SITHA
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday warned Pakistan that it will pay a price for the terror attack on an army camp in Jammu. "Pakistan will have to pay for this misadventure," Sitharaman told reporters here. However, she said she could not "give a timeline" for action against Pakistan.
Sitharaman's press briefing came even as a CRPF constable was killed in a gunfight with terrorists in downtown Srinagar, after security forces foiled militants’ attempt to strike a CRPF camp.
But even as the Minister put out the curt warning, a statement from Pakistan's foreign ministry said it was a "well-established pattern that Indian officials begin making irresponsible statements and levelling unfounded allegations" before any proper investigation has been conducted.
In a scathing rebuttal, Sitharaman said the neighbouring state has not acted "despite dossier after dossier being given to them. Even so, India will present evidence in this case. Giving evidence to Pakistan will be a "continuous process" because it has to be "proven again and again", the Defence Minister said. ‘‘But it does not take away India's right to retaliate at an appropriate time,’’ she added.
Sitharaman also said that Pakistan was expanding its arc of terror to areas south of Pir Panjal. Without mincing words, she said the Jaish terrorists who had sneaked into the family quarters in the army camp were sponsored by Pakistan. ‘‘Their handlers are across the border. There is also a possibility that they enjoyed local support,” she said.
Sitharaman had received earlier in the day a briefing from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Mufti, incidentally, put out a statement pitching for a dialogue between India and Pakistan.
When asked if the high number of terror attacks was a sign of any security lapses, the defence minister said that Sunjuwan camp is just 30 km from international border, and the difficult terrain and snow conditions make it difficult to completely check infiltration. She said that the high number of ceasefire violations on the Line of Control are only intended to abet infiltration into the Valley. She refused to be drawn into the controversy over Muft’s statement that talks with Pakistan are a must to end the bloodshed in the Valley. Without answering whether talks were a distinct possibility, she said that she shares the grief of Mufti.