Respond we will, for sure, Pak told
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 2
A day after two soldiers were beheaded by the Pakistan army, India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) today told his Pakistani counterpart that mutilation of bodies warranted an “unequivocal” response.
Lt Gen AK Bhatt termed the mutilation (beheading) a “dastardly and inhuman act”. “It is beyond the norms of civility and merits unequivocal condemnation and response,” he told Pakistan DGMO Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza.
Using the word “unequivocal”, which means unambiguous and leaving no doubt, India sounded a warning to Pakistan that it would respond to the brutal killings.
The Pakistan DGMO was quoted by Dawn with his version of the DGMO talks: “We are fully committed to maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC (Line of Control). However, any misadventure shall be appropriately responded to at a place and time of own choosing.”
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On Monday, two Indian soldiers, one from the Army and the other from the Border Security Force, were killed and their bodies mutilated in a military action by Pakistan in the Krishna Ghati sector along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. Lt Gen Bhatt told the Pakistan DGMO that “full fire” support was provided by the Pakistan army.
He rejected claims made by the Pakistan army that its troops were not involved in the mutilation. “Pakistani troops targeted Indian Army patrol on the Indian side of the LC (military usage for LoC) and mutilated bodies of the Indian soldiers,” Lt Gen Bhatt told his counterpart.
He also spoke about the presence of border action team (BAT) training in the vicinity of the LoC.
On Monday night, a local commander-level hotline contact was established in the Rawalkot-Poonch sector on the LoC. Around 10 pm, a note was sent from the Pakistan side. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) was quoted as having issued a statement on the DGMO contact: “The DGMO, Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza rejected baseless and unfounded Indian allegations of mutilation of Indian Army soldiers’ bodies by Pakistan army.”
The Pak DGMO asked for actionable evidence and claimed “allegations of mutilation are India’s attempt to divert the attention of world from situation in the Valley”.
