Pakistan may have suffered a bloody nose at the hand of Indian Special Forces in the “surgical strikes” against the terror launch pads across the loC, but Pakistan military and political leaders on Thursday remained dismissive to the news.
Shortly after India announced the surgical strikes at the terrorist launch pads, Pakistan Army’s media department said two of its soldiers were killed in overnight cross border firing by India. It also described the incident as a regular episode and accused New Delhi of trying to portray it as something “bigger” and “dramatic” to satisfy its people.
“The notion of surgical strike linked to alleged terrorist bases is an illusion being deliberately generated by Indian to create false effects. This quest by Indian establishment to create the media hype by rebranding cross-border fire as surgical strikes is fabrication of truth. Pakistan has made it clear that if there is a surgical strike on Pakistani soil, same will be strongly responded,” said Pakistan’s Inter Services Public Relations in a statement.
Dawn newspaper reported Pakistan military claimed that it has killed eight Indian soldiers and captured one while retaliating to India’s firing at loC at Tatta Pani. The paper identified the captured soldier as 22-year-old Chandu Babulal Chohan, son of Bashan Chohan from Maharashtra. However, Indian Army rejected the report as “false and baseless”.
Interestingly, soon after the Indian DGMO broke the news to Pakistani side about India’s action against terrorists, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif went in a huddle with his military commanders and political confidantes to discuss the security situation. Pak National Security Advisor Nasir Janjua gave a comprehensive report to Sharif over the situation at the loC while Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar briefed him over security condition.
later, Sharif condemned firing by Indian troops along the loC while his Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Indian Army opened up small arm fire on Wednesday night on five sectors across loC. “If India tries to do this again we will respond forcefully,” he added.
The Pakistan Government said the meeting was to discuss human rights violations in Kashmir.
However, soon Pakistan contradicted itself after it summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale to hand over a demarche while protesting the violation of loC by Indian Army. Pak Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry reportedly told Bambawale that Islamabad wants good relations with neighbours but capable of responding to any aggression.