M A I N   N E W S

Army warns Pak against ceasefire violations in JK
Says spl groups planning more attacks
Tribune News Service

I assure you whenever the response is delivered, you will see…. We will select our time and place to give a befitting reply to Pakistan with full force. — Major General VP Singh, GOC, 25 Infantry Division

Indian posts targeted Pakistani troops target six Indian forward posts in the Mendhar sector of Poonch on Sunday The Army foils attempt by a group of militants to infiltrate into the Keran sector of Kashmir

Jammu/Rajouri, August 18
The Army today said Pakistan was making a “serious mistake” by continuously violating ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) where more attacks were planned by its border action team (BAT).

Pakistani troops yet again violated ceasefire along the LoC in the Mendhar sector amid a foiled infiltration bid by militants in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district today.

Major General VP Singh, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 25 Infantry Division, told mediapersons at Rajouri that a befitting reply would be given to Pakistan with “full force” at the time and place of its choice.

He said the Army Chief and the Defence Minister had given clear instructions that “any ceasefire violation or act of infiltration from across the LoC be met resolutely with power and full force”.

“As far as I am concerned, those directions are with me… we are responding and retaliating to the situation as needed with full force,” Major General Singh said.

On the killing of five soldiers by Pakistani troops in Poonch, the division Commander said: “I assure you whenever the response is delivered, you will see…. We will select our time and place to give a befitting reply to Pakistan with full force.”

“You (Pakistan) are making a serious mistake (with regard to ceasefire violations and BAT attacks). Don’t do it… What you are putting across… it is not going to affect, deter or weaken our resolve.”

Around 250 militants were waiting in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to infiltrate, he said. Brig A Sengupta, Brigade Commander, 120 Infantry Brigade, speaking in Poonch, said Pakistani BATs were planning more attacks on the LoC. The officer said BAT comprised terrorists and Pakistani Special Forces, responsible for beheading two Indian soldiers in January and killing five more soldiers along the LoC.

“Pakistan is not respecting the 2003 ceasefire agreement and has been continuously violating it along the LoC,” he said.

The Army was fully equipped to give a befitting reply to the ceasefire violations and officers had been asked to retaliate whenever Pakistani forces fired on them.