Nowshera Strike Needed to Ensure Peace in J&K: Jaitley
The Indian Army confirmed that Pakistan Army posts aiding infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir are being targeted.
- The Pakistan Army posts are aiding infiltration in J&K are being targeted, Indian Army spokesperson said.
- The Pakistan Army on 13 May said the strike will be responded with full force.
- Rocket Launchers, Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, Automated Grenade. Launchers and Recoilless guns were used for the strike.
Pakistan Army spokesperson said Indian Army’s statement on offence along the LoC is false.
The Indian Army on Tuesday said it launched "punitive fire assaults" on Pakistani positions across the Line of Control, inflicting "some damage", days after two of its troopers were beheaded.
It also released a video of the military action which showed some structures in a forested area crumbling in a heap under the impact of repeated shelling.
Pakistan Army, however, dismissed as "false", its Indian counterpart's assertion of destroying its posts in the Naushera sector.
Though the Indian Army did not give much operational details of the retributive assault across the Line of Control (LoC) against Pakistan Army positions in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir which were "aiding" infiltration, sources in the force said the strike was carried out on 9 May, nine days after two Indian security personnel were beheaded.
"A recent action by our troops in the Naushera Sector has caused some damage to the Pak Army posts, which are supporting infiltrations. This is part of our overall strategy to counter terrorism," Additional Director General of Public Information Maj Gen A K Narula told reporters.
Govt Supports Indian Army's Strikes
Minister of Defence, Arun Jaitley said the government supported the Indian Army strikes along the LoC.
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said the strikes are the proof that Opposition were demanding.
'Indian Claims Are False', Says Pak
The official spokesperson of Pakistan Armed Forces, Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted saying that “Indian claims of destroying Pakistani posts are false.”
However, in a contradictory statement made earlier on 13 May Ghafoor tweeted saying the Indian strike will be responded with full force. The strike on Pakistan Army in Nowshera happened on 9-10 May.
The Pakistani Army also accused the Indian Army of targetting innocent civilians on both sides of the LOC.
Weapons Used for 9 May Strike
- The weapons used during the army operation on 9 May in Nowshera Sector were Rocket Launchers, Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, Automated Grenade Launchers and Recoilless guns, Army sources said.
'Indian Army Misadventure Will be Responded With Full Force': Pak Army
After the Nowshera strike, the official spokesperson of Pakistan Armed Forces, Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted on 13 May saying the strike will be responded with full force.
The Pakistani Army also accused the Indian Army of targetting innocent civilians on both sides of the LOC.
Watch: Indian Army's Full Statement on Offensive Along LoC
'Salute the Valour'
Members of different political parties lauded the India Army's effort to prevent terrorist infiltration from Pakistan.
Congress spokesperson RS Surjewala said:
Surjewala said infiltration of militants from Pakistan has increased and it has been admitted by the Indian Army.
"What is the NDA government doing... Everyday, Pakistan is pushing terrorists into India and the Indian Army is fighting them...Our Army is making supreme sacrifices," he said.
Raising questions, he asked, "Where is the Modi government? ... Where is the loud BJP government? When will it stop infiltration from Pakistan?"
Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut however said that the reply wasn't strong enough.
Bofors Guns Used to Shell Pak Army Post
Sources from the Defence Ministry told The Quint that Bofors guns were used to shell Pakistani army posts. At two such posts were destroyed in heavy shelling, they added.
The artillery units on the ground used fire control radars that accurately pick up the precise locations of military activity across the LoC, the sources informed The Quint. Once the locations and their coordinates were identified, the Bofors guns were used.
Video of Indian Army's Attack on a Pakistani post in Nowshera
'Infiltrators Supported by Pak Army'
Expecting infiltration to increase once the summer arrives and the snow melts, the spokesperson stressed on how these infiltrators are supported by the Pakistan Army.
“A recent action by our troops in Nowshera Sector has caused some damage to the Pakistan Army posts, which are supporting infiltration. This is part of our overall strategy to counter terrorism,” Narula said.
The strike in Nowshera took place on 9-10 May, Shiv Aroor, Editor of India Today said.
In an emergency briefing in New Delhi’s South Block, Indian Army spokesperson Major General Ashok Narula addressed the media, speaking on India’s cross-border efforts along the Line of Control (LoC).
“Punitive army assaults are being undertaken along the LoC. The Pakistan Army posts aiding infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir are being targeted,” Narula said.
He added that recent actions by the Indian Army in the Nowshera sector have caused damage to Pakistan army posts.
(With inputs from ANI)
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