With Pakistan escalating firing and shelling along the full International Border in Jammu sector from RS Pura to Chenab Post during the intermittent night on Tuesday and Wednesday, the national security advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval reviewed the situation along with union home secretary Anil Goswami, IB chief Asif Ibrahim and senior BSF officers today.
The fresh ceasefire violation, firing on 63 border outposts and the area around, by Pakistan has left 8 Indian civilians dead and about 18 injured, while reports from Pakistan have claimed at least 12 civilians losing their life. Besides, three BSF personnel (two assistant sub inspectors and one constable) have injured in Samba area of Jammu sector.
After yesterday’s firing, hundreds of people living in hamlets, towns and villages close to the border, have started leaving for safer locations in droves, a BSF deputy commandant from Jammu told dna.
Sources privy to the meeting said, the NSA’s brief was simple - respond to the Pakistani firing with more than equal and effective retaliation and do not opt for a flag meeting unless Pakistan totally stops the firing.
NSA’s brief to the BSF apparently came after he spoke and apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the developments on the IB who in return told him not to budge from the hard stand that India has taken towards unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan.
Neither India nor Pakistan have made any attempts to de-escalate so far through other channels, including the diplomatic channels.
Incidentally, with all ministers, including the PM and home minister Rajnath Singh, busy campaigning in Haryana and Maharashtra, the union cabinet did not meet to take stock of the situation today.
“It’s who winks first kind of a situation. Pakistan is trying brinkmanship but it won’t succeed this time because the government has resolved to be tough and not yield even an ounce. Tonight is crucial to know if Pakistan has understood our intentions or not. We only hope that sanity will prevail and they scale down or will put a stop to firing,” said a senior home ministry official.
Director General of BSF DK Pathak also said that they have been asked not to invite or take the offer of a flag meeting unless Pakistan completely stops firing and the situation on the entire border returns to normalcy.
Senior BSF officers are unable to comprehend the reasons of Pakistan Rangers violating the ceasefire again after a brief lull of 10 days and lighting up the entire IB in Jammu sector.
“Such heavy firing where mortars and 81 and 82 mm rockets are being used are not meant to be cover fire for infiltration attempts. On October 1, Pakistan targeted only the chicken neck – (the area between IB and LOC), on October 2-4 they targeted Arnia and now it has spread to the entire Jammu IB. The only thing we can assume is that Pakistan is doing so to deflect the attention from its international problems,” a senior BSF official said.
Going by the escalated level of firing, the BSF and officer in the security establishment do not see the situation improving any soon, unless attempts are made at higher government level.
Maintaining a tough stand, Minister of state in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, who hails from J&K, said in Jammu that there are indications of Pakistan Army trying to scale up by helping Pakistan Rangers.
“I had a meeting with senior officials of BSF. I think that the people are feeling quiet vindicated that the response from this side has been quiet well unlike as it had been in earlier occasions. It is very befitting reply given from Indian side,” said Singh.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}