India strikes terror in Pakistan

PTI           

New Delhi

In a strong retaliation to the Pahalgam massacre, India’s armed forces early Wednesday destroyed nine terror sites, including that of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK),  using deep strike missiles in a 25-minute-long “measured and non-escalatory” mission.

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said India decided to carry out the “proportionate” strikes to bring the perpetrators and planners of the Pahalgam attack to justice as there was “no demonstrable step” from Pakistan to act against terrorist infrastructure on territories under its control.

It was for the first time since the 1971 Indo-Pak war that India carried out an aerial attack deep inside Punjab province of Pakistan.

Fifteen days after the Pahalgam carnage on April 22, the targets for the military response codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’ included the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur in Punjab province that is located at over 100 km from the Indian border.

JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar acknowledged that 10 members of his family and four close associates were killed in India’s missile

Official sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was monitoring the operation closely through the night. Later at a meeting of the Union cabinet, he hailed the Indian armed forces for carrying out the successful targeted strikes at the terror camps.

The sources said it was Prime Minister who picked the evocative term ‘Operation Sindoor’ to codename the Indian response. ‘Sindoor’ is a reference to the red vermillion that married Hindu women wear to signify their married status attack. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India’s military scripted “history” by acting with “precision, precaution and compassion” in destroying the terror camps. Singh further said India used its “right to respond” to the Pahalgam attack and that the targets were destroyed as per plan.

In the Pahalgam attack, the husbands of several women were killed in front of them, including an Indian Navy officer. A total of 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed in
the carnage. Under ‘Operation Sindoor’, the Indian military targeted  Markaz Taiba of LeT  in Muridke, Markaz Subhan Allah of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Hizbul Mujahideen’s Mehmoona Joya facility in Sialkot and LeT’s base in Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala and its camp in Muzaffarabad’s Shawai Nalla, military officials said. Muridke, located a short distance from Lahore, is home to a sprawling ‘markaz’ or base of the LeT.

Indian officials said the strikes on all nine targets, including Bahawalpur and Muridke, were successful. It is learnt that an array of weapons including Scalp deep-strike cruise missiles, the Hammer smart weapon system and guided bomb kits were used in striking the terror camps.

The operation was conducted from 1:05 am to 1:30 am and all the targets were neutralised with clinical efficiency, two women officers – Col Sophia Qureshi of the Army’s Corps of Signals, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a helicopter pilot of the IAF, said at a media briefing alongside Misri.

Around 15 minutes after the operation ended, the defence ministry said in a statement at 1.44 am: “A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.”

The statement said the actions by the Indian armed forces have been “focused, measured and non-escalatory” in nature and that no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.

“India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.”

In his remarks, Misri said, “Our intelligence monitoring of Pakistan-based terrorist modules indicated that further attacks against India were impending.”

He further said India’s actions were in line with the UN Security Council’s statement about holding perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of the Pahalgam attack accountable.

Pakistan’s top security body on Wednesday said the armed forces have been duly authorised to undertake retaliation “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing” to avenge the loss of lives in the Indian military strikes.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country has every right to give a “befitting reply to this act of war imposed by India.” Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, however, said Islamabad is ready to “wrap up” tensions with New Delhi, if it de-escalates the situation.

The Pakistan foreign ministry described the Indian strikes as “unprovoked” and that the Indian military violated Pakistan’s sovereignty using standoff weapons.

Pakistan Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured in the Indian missile strikes launched shortly after midnight.

National security advisor Ajit Doval spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his counterparts in several countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Officials said Doval told his counterparts that India has no intent to escalate tensions but is prepared to “retaliate resolutely” if Pakistan does so.

The two women officers, providing an overview of ‘Operation Sindoor’, said the strikes on the terror camps was undertaken through precision capability, using weapons with careful selection of warheads that ensured no collateral damage.

“The point of impact in each of the target was a specific building or a group of buildings,” said Singh.

“The world must show zero tolerance for terrorism,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.

Sources in the Indian military establishment said all air defence units have been put on alert along the frontier with Pakistan.

A hurriedly called Pakistan’s National Security Council meeting, chaired by Shehbaz Sharif and attended by cabinet ministers, chief ministers, all services chiefs and senior officers, described the strikes as “unprovoked” and an “unlawful act of war”.

An NSC statement warned that in consonance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence.

“The armed forces of Pakistan have duly been authorised to undertake corresponding actions in this regard,” the statement said.

Addressing a session of the Parliament later, Sharif claimed that the Pakistan armed forces destroyed five Indian jets. He, however, did not provide any evidence in support of his claim.