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Enduring peace and meaningful ‘talks’ with Pakistan in its current form is a delusional fantasy

K Bhattacharjee
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Enduring peace and meaningful ‘talks’ with Pakistan in its current form is a delusional fantasy

After attempting to attack Indian military installations, Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has appealed for “better sense to prevail” and offered to hold talks. And it appears Indian liberals, who cannot look beyond partisan politics, are targeting the Modi government over the IAF Wing Commander who Pakistan claims to have taken captive.

Indian Liberals are arguing that Imran Khan is actually urging for peace and it would be ‘jingoistic’ for Narendra Modi to not accept his offer. They appear to forget that Khan appealed for talks right after Pakistan itself escalated matters.

There is a larger question at hand here. Is a lasting peace really possible with Pakistan in its current form? Peaceniks appear to forget that India did not choose this war, it was imposed upon us. Cross border terrorism is only a proxy war that is being waged by Pakistan for decades now. The Pulwama Terrorist Attack, where 40 of our brave men were martyred, was merely a manifestation of it.

For years, our Army has been fighting a proxy war which has claimed the lives of thousands of our soldiers. It’s horribly unjust and unfair that our people continue to suffer Pakistan sponsored terrorism even though we have a much stronger Army than our enemy.

There is nothing to indicate that Pakistan will stop backing terrorists as well. India has only one demand, that Pakistan stop arming terrorists against India in its own soil. The Indian state has to realize that it is not dealing with rational actors here.

Pakistan is an Islamic state and its entire existence is based upon its opposition to India. Beyond that, it has no identity not a purpose of existence. Their conduct abundantly demonstrates that they don’t consider the tensions with India as a geopolitical battle between two nation states. They perceive it as a religious war against Hindus.

It was evident when Pakistan backed Pulwama terrorist stated rather proudly that he was carrying out the suicide bombing against ‘cow piss drinkers‘. It was again amply evident when in the videos of the IAF Wing Commander in Pakistani custody, which have been circulating on social media, they can be seen verifying his religion. He is made to confirm that he is Hindu.

Under such circumstances, where Pakistan is clearly waging a Jihad against India, enduring peace is not possible until and unless one faction is completely and utterly decimated. The only way to enduring Peace, quite paradoxically, is through War. Until Pakistan exists in its current form where it can still support a sizable military, peace will continue to remain a mere fantasy.

India was partitioned on the basis of religion. And unfortunately for us, Pakistan will continue to function with a mindset that will perennially seek to weaken India. For Pakistan, their Jihad is more important than peace. They hate Indians more than they love their own children, therefore, they continue to harbour terrorists who often kill their own women and children. Pakistan will not abandon their doomed quest on their own, India has to help them. Airstrikes and military action are known to be particularly helpful in this regard.

“Talks” are held between two conventional Army’s or elected civilian governments. In this scenario, we have an Army that thrives on mercenaries and the Indian Army, which is a conventional humane army. On one hand, we have Imran Taliban Khan who has stated his sympathies with Jihadis rather openly in the past and is, by all standards, a mere puppet in the hands of the ISI and the Pakistan Army. On the other hand, we have a democratically elected civilian government in India. One has to wonder then, what credible result “talks” can help reach and would these “talks” help reach any form of compromise? Would “talks” force Pakistan to stop terrorism and waging Jihad on India? Have these talks not happened before? Was there an outcome of these talks? Pakistan will wrongly claim stake on Kashmir which is Indian territory, including the territory occupied by Pakistan. What possible “talk” could solve that conundrum? Would Pakistan simply agree to hand over the area occupied by it? Would it agree to not send terrorists to Kashmir? Would it agree to stop funding terror groups? Would it stop indoctrinating Kashmiris to wage Jihad against the “Kafir state”?

It is perhaps true that the average Pakistani, or the average Kashmiri wants peace. Nobody would contest that and assert that every single Pakistani wants war. However, wars are fought between two Armies and talks are held between two civilian governments. What talk could be held between a Pakistani PM who is a puppet of Jihadis and a democratically elected PM Modi? What peace can prevail between a mercenary Jihadi force and a conventional, just Army like that of India? And if all of this is true, what is really the agenda between asking for talks and peddling the peace narrative?

Armies of the world don’t fight for war’s sake. They fight so peace can prevail. Indian Army fights so peace can prevail with a bunch of mercenaries who wage Jihad.

In war, there are always setbacks. And there are battles that we may lose. However, the larger goal has to be borne in mind at all times. We have to ensure that Pakistan does not nurture terrorists in their own soil so that another Mumbai Terror Attack doesn’t occur so that another Pulwama tragedy can be avoided.

‘Liberals’ mirror Imran Khan: Pakistan looks to survive, ‘liberals’ want terrorist to flourish so their business of ‘peace’ can prevail

Nirwa Mehta
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‘Liberals’ mirror Imran Khan: Pakistan looks to survive, ‘liberals’ want terrorist to flourish so their business of ‘peace’ can prevail

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for peace talks, right after Pakistan Army escalated the matter by attempting to attack Indian military installations in response to Indian sir strikes against terrorists. Indian Air Force shot down a Pakistani F-16. Unfortunately, while the Indian Air Force was chasing the Pakistani F16 on a MiG 21, one Indian pilot, who still remains unidentified by the Government, was declared missing in action. No sooner than reports on his missing started pouring in, a narrative was being built to state how the officer was paying a price to tv-anchor jingoism.

It appears ‘liberals’ on our side of the border have been waiting for an opportunity to attack the Government ever since have already started singing the #SayNoToWar song by posturing it on the pilot’s shoulder. You know, the usual, on how what is happening to him wouldn’t have happened had it not been for the TV anchors who were baying for blood for TRPs. Well, he wouldn’t have been captured had he not gone chasing the F16 from Pakistan which was sent as a retaliatory action when India destroyed Pakistan’s terror camps. Yes, Pakistani Armed Forces are avenging the destruction of terror camps they were nourishing.

But, TV anchors are responsible for Pakistan avenging the destruction of their terror camps.


If the video which is being circulated on social media (OpIndia stands by the Armed Forces and Government of India and refuses to put out the videos/images which are purported to be of the Indian Air Force pilot) is to be believed, the officer is maintaining his composure in the face of enemy, while standing in enemy territory. He has been brutally beaten up by his captors, violating the Geneva Convention of which speaks of humane treatment of wounded/captured military personnel. Even then, he has maintained his composure because he is trained for that. But then, blame Pakistan’s aggression at being hurt by the destruction of their terror camps to journalists on TV who have done nothing but stand by the Armed Forces and has said no to terrorism.


Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan, who is nothing more than a puppet of the ISI, has had his army capture our pilot. They have not yet (at the time of this report) used diplomatic channels to inform India about the details, but has posted video and images on social media (again in violation of Geneva Convention) but he is making more sense than his Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Modi because Indian Army destroyed Pakistani terror camps. Let that sink in.

Pakistan Army avenging the destruction of terror camps is referred to as f*cking olive branch by this journalist. I have no polite words to express my anger at this moment.


Oh, and the Air Force pilot is ‘paying the price’ of ‘f*cking jingoism of the ruling party’. He was defending India when he was caught by the enemy because his jet was shot at. Oh, and he was chasing an F16 with a MiG 21, which are also known as ‘flying coffins’ which are routinely crashed during training sorties. Official records say over 170 IAF pilots have lost their lives in MiG 21 accidents since 1970. Now, remind me again, what or who has been creating a ruckus over Indian getting upgraded aircraft like the Rafale?

And of course, the journalist who wrote an article claiming Kulbhushan Jadhav is a spy which is being used by Pakistan in the International Court of Justice to help their case, chooses to call the destruction of Pakistani terror camp as “a phoney war” which is being waged “to win an election”.


What is happening is rather evident. Pakistan used this to pressurise the Indian government to stop India’s actions against terrorism. The Balakot strikes left them rattles. A nuclear-capable Mirage went as close as 200 km to Islamabad and flattened several terrorist camps of JeM, the backbone of ISI and the Pakistani Army. Pakistan and the “liberals” today speak in one voice. They demand peace and demand that India “stops aggression” without once realising that thousands of soldiers have been murdered by Pakistan over the decades. While Pakistan is playing deadly, bloody games for its survival against a new, strong India that refuses to play dead, the “liberals” are quite simply fighting for their economic survival. Without the ‘aman ka tamasha’ trope, several “liberals” who have built their careers on sabre-rattling, at the expense of dying soldiers.

They don’t care about India. They don’t care about our soldiers. They don’t care about peace. They care about the survival of Pakistan and the continuance of conflict so the trope they built their career on stays alive. This is why they speak in one voice with Imran Khan. Today, when our country needs us the most.

After attempting to attack Indian military installations in response to India’s strikes on terrorists, Imran Khan calls for ‘talks’

OpIndia Staff
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After attempting to attack Indian military installations in response to India’s strikes on terrorists, Imran Khan calls for ‘talks’

In its official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs asserted that Pakistan had attempted to target Indian military installations. The government also stated that one Pakistani aircraft was shot down by Indians and in the process, India lost one Mig-21 and its pilot has since then gone missing. Pakistan has claimed that the pilot is in their custody.

Pakistan’s attempted attack on India’s military assets in response to Indian air strikes which were clearly “non-military” as stated by the government in its earlier statement marks a clear escalation on Pakistan’s part. It has to be remembered that India attacked terrorist camps which are clearly non-military assets.

Former Air Chief Krishnaswamy has also been reported as saying that it was an act of escalation on part of Pakistan.


After escalating tensions, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is now calling for talks. In a media briefing, he said, “All wars in world history have been miscalculated, those who started the wars did not know where it will end. So, I want to ask India, with the weapons you and we have, can we afford miscalculation? If a war takes place, it will not be in my or Narendra Modi’s control. If you want any kind of talks on terrorism, we are ready. Better sense must prevail. We should sit down and talk.”

By this statement, Khan has not only attempted to peddle their ‘we have nuclear weapons’ threat, but also has shamelessly continued their farce of claiming victimhood over terrorists that their government shelters and supports.

Khan’s appeal to ‘better sense’ reek of duplicity as the Pakistanis chose to escalate matters by attempting to attack Indian military installations when India had bombed only terror camps. The Indian Government is likely to have factored into its calculations that Pakistan will escalate matters after the strikes. It remains to be seen how India responds to the latest Pakistani affront.

Nepal: Seven persons die in chopper crash, including Tourism and Civil Aviation minister and senior govt officials

OpIndia Staff
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Nepal: Seven persons die in chopper crash, including Tourism and Civil Aviation minister and senior govt officials

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has confirmed the death of seven people, including country’s Tourism and Civil Aviation minister Tourism Rabindra Adhikari, due to a helicopter crash at Taplejung district’s Pathibhara area.

In addition to the death of Minister Adhikari, other people who were accompanying him were: Prime Minister KP Oil’s close aid Yubaraj Dahal, an aviation and hospitality entrepreneur Ang Tsering Sherpa, General of Civil Aviation Authority (CAAN)Birendra Prasad Shrestha, CAAN Deputy Director Dhurba Bhochhibhoya, and security guard of Minister Arjun Kumar Ghimire. The helicopter was being flown by Captain Prabhakar KC.

Ang Tsering Sherpa is the chairman of Air Dynasty, and also the Managing Director of Yeti Airlines. The names were revealed after Air Dynasty, the company which operated the chopper, released the passenger manifest.


The crew reportedly had gone for the feasibility study of an airstrip in Chuhandanda. Chuhandanda is a sparsely-populated region in Tehrathum district of Nepal. The accident happened when the crew was returning to the nation’s capital Kathmandu from offering worship at Pathibhara Mata temple.  According to local eyewitnesses, the helicopter crashed a minute after it took off from Pathibhara temple.

The rescue operations have been delayed in the wake of severe climate, the office of Tribhuvan International Airport of Kathmandu said.

Old videos and photos used by Pakistanis on SM to show captured pilot and Indian aircraft ‘shot down’

OpIndia Staff
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Old videos and photos used by Pakistanis on SM to show captured pilot and Indian aircraft ‘shot down’

Pakistani jets have violated Indian airspace on Wednesday morning and entered the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district reported ANI. They had reportedly dropped bombs but were pushed back by Indian aircraft.

The PAF jets were confronted by the Indian Airforce and the bid to infiltrate was thwarted. Reportedly, Pakistan F-16s attempted to infiltrate but were pushed back by India.

However, Pakistan has resorted to posting old videos to claim that it has shot down two fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the propaganda wing of the Pakistan armed forces, had issued a statement claiming that the country had shot down two fighters of the IAF and arrested a pilot flying one of these jets.

The first video that the ISPR and Pakistan media are propagating is of a MiG-27 crash in Jodhpur which took place in 2016. The fighter jet depicted on social media platforms by the Pakistani media has a tail number TU657. According to Shiv Aroor, Defence journalist, Pakistan media is showing 2016 images of MiG crash in Jodhpur to claim these are IAF jets shot down today.


Some Pakistani Twitter handles also peddled old videos of February 19 Surya Kiran crash survivor Vijay Shelke in Bangalore, saying it is captured IAF pilot.


Pakistan media and social media were also busy peddling images of a 2018 crash in Odisha trying to suggest they are IAF jets shot down today.

However, the government of India has now confirmed that one Indian pilot is missing and that they are trying to ascertain more details.
According to the MEA statement, Pakistan had responded to India’s ‘non-military pre-emptive strikes’ by using its airforce to target military installations on the Indian side. Pakistan Air Force was detected immediately and Indian Air Force responded instantly to thwart its attempts. In the aerial engagement, one Pakistan jet was shot down by Indian MIG 21 Bison of IAF. The Indian Airforce has lost a Mig 21, the pilot is missing. Meanwhile, Pakistan has claimed that he is in their custody.

MEA: IAF thwarted Pak attempt to target military assets, 1 Pak jet shot down, 1 MiG 21 lost, trying to ascertain Pak claims of captured pilot

OpIndia Staff
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MEA: IAF thwarted Pak attempt to target military assets, 1 Pak jet shot down, 1 MiG 21 lost, trying to ascertain Pak claims of captured pilot

In a joint press conference by the MEA officials and Vice Air Marshal RK Kappo, the government has confirmed that one Indian pilot is missing and that they are trying to ascertain more details.

In the press conference, the government said:

“India has informed about Counterterrorism action it took yesterday against Jaish-e-Mohammad camp in Pakistan based on credible evidence that they intended to launch further attacks on India. Pakistan responded by using its airforce to target military installations on the Indian side. Due to our alertness, Pakistan attempts were foiled successfully. Pakistan Air Force was detected and Indian Air Force responded instantly. In the aerial engagement, one Pakistan jet was shot down by Indian MIG 21 Bison of IAF. The Pakistani aircraft was seen by ground forces falling on Pakistan side. In this engagement, we lost 1 Mig 21, the pilot is missing. Pakistan has claimed that he is in their custody. We are ascertaining facts.”

On 14th February 2019, Pakistan sponsored Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists had carried out a suicide terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy, claiming the lives of 44 soldiers. Following the attack, the Indian Air Force had conducted airstrikes deep inside Pakistan territory and India’s nuclear-capable Mirage-2000 jets had gone right up to Balakot in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to destroy JeM terror camps.

Following the airstrikes, Pakistan indulged in spreading lies and fear. On the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Pakistan also resorted to heavy firing across the Line of Control, to which it got a befitting response from the Indian side, which destroyed 5 Army posts on the Pakistan side. Pakistan then proceeded to violate India’s airspace. Sources say that 1 Pakistan F16 was shot down by India. However, unfortunately, India lost one MiG 21 and the whereabouts of one Indian pilot remains unknown.

It now remains to be seen whether the military retaliation would escalate more or die down into a diplomatic tussle.

AgustaWestland scam: Key accused Rajiv Saxena to move court seeking to turn approver

OpIndia Staff
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AgustaWestland scam: Key accused Rajiv Saxena to move court seeking to turn approver

The UPA era VVIP chopper scam has seen several brisk developments since middleman Christian Michel was extradited to India from Dubai. In the latest, one of the prime accused in the AgustaWestland case, Rajiv Saxena, who was picked up by UAE government security agencies in Dubai and later extradited to India on January 30, 2019, is likely to turn an approver.

According to reports, Rajiv Saxena, who was recently granted bail by a Delhi court in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland scam, is all set to move an application in the Patiala House Court in Delhi today, seeking to become an approver in the case. His request will be supported by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The agency, which believes that Saxena has extensive information on the bribe that was paid to certain politicians and bureaucrats in India, are also hoping that once Saxena turns an approver he will also reveal significant details on the role of Christian Michel and Gautam Khaitan who are the co-accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.

According to ED, three of Rajiv Saxena’s companies, Interstellar Technologies (Mauritius), UHY Saxena (Dubai) and Matrix Holding (Dubai) had received kickbacks from Gordian Sarl (Tunisia) and IDS Technologies (Tunisia), firms that were set up by AgustaWestland accused Gautam Khaitan. Middlemen Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke were directors in this firm.

Since the agency was certain that Saxena had complete knowledge about the money trail that was paid as kickbacks to manage the chopper deal in favour of AgustaWestland and claimed that he was cooperating with the agency and helping in establishing the same, the ED had refused to oppose his bail, which was granted to him on medical grounds. Prior to this, the agency had opposed the bail plea in December 2018.

This development holds significance as Rajiv Saxena was described as the “key money launderer” by ED in the case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had named him in a supplementary charge sheet filed in the VVIP Chopper scam in September 2017. Saxena and his wife Shivani Saxena are directors in two Dubai based companies, while he is a director in another Mauritius based company, and it is alleged that all those companies received proceeds of the kickbacks paid in the AgustaWestland deal.

It was reported that Rajiv Saxena has several accounts in Switzerland. OpIndia has acquired the list of accounts that Rajiv Saxena allegedly used for kickbacks received in the AgustaWestland scam.

Prior to the extradition of the two main accused Rajiv Saxena and Deepak Talwar, several startling revelations came to light in the VVIP chopper scam soon after the case gained momentum post middleman Christian Micheal’s extradition to India. From the names of “Italian Lady”, to “Italian Lady’s son R“ to how Christian Michel was lobbying for the Eurofighter and against the Rafale deal and how he had unbridled access to the PMO under Congress regime, the CCS and even the investigative agencies.

India on January 1, 2014, scrapped the contract with Finmeccanica’s British subsidiary, AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force over an alleged breach of contract and charges of paying kickbacks totaling to Rs 423 crore to several politicians and bureaucrats in order to secure the deal.

India’s Air strike: Pakistan to hold National Command Authority meeting, which overlooks country’s nuclear weapons

OpIndia Staff
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India’s Air strike: Pakistan to hold National Command Authority meeting, which overlooks country’s nuclear weapons

India, in the wee hours of Tuesday, conducted air strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, blowing hundreds of terrorists staying in terror camps, to avenge the killing of more than 40 CRPF jawans this month in Pulwama. Now, the rattled Pakistan, which has acknowledged the air raid but refused to confirm the casualty numbers, has now resorted to issuing veiled nuclear threats against India.

“There is a joint session of parliament tomorrow and then the prime minister has summoned a meeting of the National Command Authority on. I hope you know what the NCA means and what it constitutes,” Maj General Asif Ghafoor, head of Pakistan military’s media wing was quoted as saying. He also added that Pakistan will surprise India by its upcoming move. The meeting will happen on Wednesday.

NCA or National Command Authority of Pakistan is a joint-command that oversees Pakistan’s strategic components, especially the nuclear capabilities. The declaration of NCA meeting at a time when India has launched lethal air offensives against Pakistan-based terror camps seems nothing but one of its tactics to intimidate India. After India’s air raids, Pakistan Army has also targeted civilian areas of Jammu and Kashmir violating the ceasefire by resorting to heavy mortar shelling on 55 forward areas in Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts on Tuesday.

The NCA was set up after National Security Council chief executive General Pervez Musharraf overthrew Pakistan’s Nawaz Shariff government, by a powerful military coup in 2000. Musharaff, however, in the wake of the air strike recently, had warned his own country that if it attacks India even with one atomic bomb, it will be wiped by 20 of them hurled by Inda.

In 2019, NCA was established as a “civilian-led body in charge of the country’s nuclear assets” by Imran Khan government.

“The NCA will be responsible for policy formulation and will exercise employment and development control over all strategic nuclear forces and strategic organizations. It will comprise the Employment Control Committee and Development Control Committee as well as Strategic Plans Division which will act as secretariat,” A report was quoted by News18.

NCA consists of  Employment Control Committee, Development Control Committee and a Strategic Plans Division of Pakistan. The first two sections are handled by Head of State, that is Prime Minister of Pakistan, with the help of ministers. The third section, Strategic Plans Division is headed by a senior army officer.

US, France, others back India’s right to self-defence even as Pakistan cries foul over its airspace violation

OpIndia Staff
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US, France, others back India’s right to self-defence even as Pakistan cries foul over its airspace violation

As India conducted ‘non-military pre-emptive strikes’ deep inside Pakistan obliterating the Jaish-e-Muhammad camps on Tuesday, a humiliated Pakistan had run crying foul over the violation of its airspace and sovereignty. However, the global community has chosen to ignore Pakistan’s rant while deciding to back India for its resolve on fighting terror.

The Indian air strikes had pushed Pakistan into a corner following which it had to rush to the global community to seek support over the alleged violation of its sovereignty. However, none of the global powers has chosen to side with the terrorist state of Pakistan on the issue and rather supported India’s proposition for conducting ‘non-military pre-emptive strikes’ for self-defense.

CHINA:

The biggest embarrassment for Pakistan was that its ‘all-weather’ ally China could not muster the courage to support Pakistan’s claim of violation of sovereignty. Instead, China has asked both Pakistan and India to exercise ‘restraint’ amidst the soaring tensions. With this China has clearly sent out a signal to Pakistan that it would try to ease tensions between the two countries rather than supporting its ally Pakistan.

UNITED STATES:

The United States has backed India in its quest to respond to the Pulwama attack in Kashmir, which had killed 40 CRPF personnel. Two days after the suicide bombing, John Bolton, the U.S. National Security Adviser, had said the United States supported “India’s right to self-defense.”

Bolton said the US has been very clear to Pakistan on ending support to terrorist safe havens. “We have been very clear on that score. And, we are continuing to be in discussions we are going to have with the Pakistanis,” he said. Earlier, the White House and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked Pakistan to end its support to terrorist safe havens inside the country.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday has said that he spoke to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the issue of taking “meaningful action” against terrorist groups operating on Pakistan soil, following an air strike by India inside Pakistan.

FRANCE:

Meanwhile, one of India’s oldest and reliable partners, France has supported India’s “legitimacy to ensure security” and asked Pakistan “to put an end to the operations of terrorist groups established on its territory” while asking both countries to show restraint. The French government also seems to be least concerned about Pakistan’s territorial integrity.

“Resumption of dialogue between Islamabad-New Delhi is necessary to initiate peaceful settlement of differences. France, which stands by India in the fight against terrorism in all its forms is fully engaged in mobilising the international community to sanction terrorists responsible for this attack (Pulwama) and freezing their financing networks,” the spokesperson of France’s Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs said.

AUSTRALIA:

The Australian government has put Pakistan in a tough place after it stood behind India and urged Pakistan to take “urgent and meaningful action against terrorist groups in its territory. In a press release, the Australian government said, “Pakistan must do everything possible to implement its own prescription of Jaish-e-Mohammed. It can no longer allow extremist groups the legal and physical space to operate from its territory.”

“Pakistan must take urgent and meaningful action against terrorist groups in its territory, including Jaish-e-Mohammed which has claimed responsibility for the 14 February bombing, and Lashkar-e-Taiba,” said Australia while urging both the countries to show restraint. The Australian government press statement does not feature anything pertaining to violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.

EUROPEAN UNION:

The European Union (EU) also called on New Delhi and Islamabad to exercise “maximum restraint” after Indian warplanes attacked the militant camp in Pakistan. The European Union had recently censured Pakistan for not taking adequate measures to control international terror and had advised Islamabad to undertake “clear and sustained actions targeting not only all UN-listed transnational terrorist groups but also individuals claiming responsibility for such attacks”.

Meanwhile, Dean of Diplomatic Corps Hans Castellanos, who represents more than 150 foreign missions in India, on Tuesday said that the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) airstrikes across the Line of Control (LoC) were very responsible. He had said that the airstrikes targetted the terrorists who were planning future attacks on India and not the civilians.

“We want to congratulate Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for quickly briefing us. The message was a direct one. It was a non-military preemptive strike. India wanted to target terrorists, not civilians. India behaved responsibly,” he said. “The operation was a very directed one. It did not target any civilians. It did not target any military camp in Pakistan. It was done to avoid any further attacks in India,” the dean of diplomatic corps said.

Arun Jaitley makes Osama reference, says if US could do it (take down Osama in Pakistan), anything can happen

OpIndia Staff
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Arun Jaitley makes Osama reference, says if US could do it (take down Osama in Pakistan), anything can happen

“If America can enter Pakistan and kill Osama Bin Laden, then anything is possible,” said Union Minister Arun Jaitley amidst the ongoing tensions at the Line of Control (LoC). As per reports, Jaitley said, anything is possible at this time.

Union Minister Jaitley was referring to the CIA-led Operation Neptune Spear under which United States Navy SEALs killed Osama Bin Laden who was hiding in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The raid on Osama Bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad was launched from Afghanistan air base and he was buried in the sea within 24 hours.

In the wee hours on Tuesday morning, Pakistan has been reporting heavy movement along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. Pakistan has claimed that the Indian Airforce crossed the Line of Control and breached the Pakistani airspace. The air strike was carried out at 3:30 am in Balakot. One of the targets destroyed by IAF Mirage jets was in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area.

Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad terror launch pads across the Line of Control completely destroyed in IAF air strikes. Jaish-e-Mohammad control rooms also destroyed.

The horrific Pulwama attack had left the entire nation in a state of shock and rage. The Indian government, resolute to discipline Pakistan has taken several measures against them. The most favoured nation status accorded to Pakistan under WTO norms were withdrawn, and then customs duty of 200% was imposed on all imports from Pakistan. Government is also working towards isolating Pakistan on the global front. PM Narendra Modi had announced after the Pulwama attacks that the Indian Army has been given a free rein to plan and execute a retaliatory action.

Tensions have escalated at the Line of Control since early this morning with Indian Army retaliating to Pakistan Army’s aggression. Several airports are put on high alert even as all airports in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab are shut down till May as a precautionary measure.

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