The Indian Army on Wednesday rejected Pakistan’s claim that it recently destroyed several Indian posts along the line of Control (loC) in Naushera sector.
Pakistan made this assertion hours after the Indian Army released a video clip on Tuesday showing “punitive fire assault” on Pakistani posts that provided cover fire to terrorists in the same sector to infiltrate into Jammu & Kashmir.
In another development, the Indian Air Force (IAF) brushed aside a report from Islamabad that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets intruded into Indian airspace in Siachen glacier on Wednesday.
Reports also indicated that Pakistan has put its forward airbases facing Indian on heightened alert with some jets flying close to Siachen and PAF Chief has warned that his forces will respond to any “aggression by the enemy in a manner that their future generations will also remember it.”
On reported pounding of Indian posts in Naushera, the Pakistan Army released 87-second footage showing fire assaults on Indian side on May 13.
While Indian video showing offensive action on May 9-10 was aired at about 3.15 pm (IST), the Pakistani video was beamed at 9.20 pm IST, the Indian Army sources said here on Wednesday. Incidentally, Pakistan Army had also termed the Indian video as false and claimed that no Pakistani post was targeted.
Rejecting Pakistan’s claim in its video, officials said all the posts purportedly shown in the clip are fortified concrete bunkers and there was no report of any damage. They said even if a soldier receives minor injuries in cross-border firing, the matter is immediately reported to the army’s chain of command. “There was no such incident or related injury to any solider reported in the last few days,” officials said.
Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor in a brief statement claimed that India on May 13 had targeted innocent civilians. “In befitting response, the Pakistan Army destroyed Indian posts in Naushera Sector,” he said. The video shows heavy-artillery pounding several Indian positions, which were completely destroyed.
Meanwhile, media reports in Pakistan said Pakistani fighter jets flew near the Siachen glacier on Wednesday, but IAF sources said there was no violation of India’s air space. Quoting sources, a Pakistan television channel also said all of PAF’s forward operating bases were made fully operational.
PAF chief Sohail Aman visited the forward airbase in Skardu located close to Siachen and flew a Mirage jet, the report said. According to PAF, Aman met the pilots and the fighter squadron carried out higher and lower altitude flights.
Aman said Pakistan will give a befitting response to any misadventure by the enemy, Radio Pakistan reported. Talking to reporters at Qadri airbase in Skardu, he said the country should have zero concern over the “statements of the enemy. Our response to any aggression by the enemy will be such that their future generations will also remember it,” he said according to the report.