Talking Tough | Pakistan will pay for misadventure, says Defence Minister

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman warned Pakistan on Monday that it will have to pay for its misadventure of terror, and said India has the right to respond adequately at the time of its choosing. She said the fidayeens who attacked the Army’s 36 Brigade Headquarters in Jammu’s Sunjuwan on Saturday were controlled by handlers across the border, and that the Centre will share evidence with Pakistan to prove it. In the suicide attack by JeM, five soldiers and a civilian had died, while security forces killed three terrorists.

“Giving evidence to Pakistan will have to be a continuous process because its involvement has to be proven again and again. But giving evidence does not deny us the right to respond adequately and at a time which we think is fit. Pakistan will pay for this misadventures”, she told reporters after taking stock of the situation in Sunjuwan.

The Defence Minister said evidence is being scrutinised by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that will soon furnish a detailed report.

“Pakistan is expanding the arc of terror to the areas south of Pir Panjal ranges and resorting to ceasefire violations to assist infiltration. These are being responded appropriately”, she said.

She said evidence will be compiled and the Home Ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs will coordinate the action. “Pakistan, in spite of being given dossiers, has not taken any action. On the contrary, we find people who are directly responsible for the Mumbai attacks are still happily roaming in Pakistan”, she said.

She said the counter-terror operation at Sunjuwan was called off at 10.30 am on Monday, but the area’s sanitisation was still on. “Terrorists belong to Jaish-e-Mohammad sponsored by Azhar Masood in Pakistan and are deriving support from there”, she said.

She said three terrorists have been eliminated. though there was information of a fourth one in the area. “It is likely that the fourth terrorist was a guide and may not have entered the premises. JeM men may have infiltrated some time back and there is possibility of them having enjoyed some local support before the final operations”, she said.