Page 18 - 15MAR2019E

CoverStory

Amid conflicting reports,

India takes bold initiative

against terrorism

In a non-military intervention, as the country’s foreign office calls it, the Indian Air Force carried out
surprise air strikes on militant camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, writes gopal misra

ith the non-military in- lomatic channels has already notified ceeded persuading China to play a neu-
tervention by bombing the friendly countries about the action tral role in the ongoing efforts of India
terrorists’ hideouts in taken against the Pakistan-based terror- to contain Islamic terrorism. It is consid-
the Muzaffarbad region ists. The Pakistani side has confirmed the ered a correct approach to keep China in
W of the Pakistan occu- violation of tis air space.Major General good humour on this issue, because it is
pied Kashmir (POK), India has triggered Asif Ghafoor, Pakistan Army spokesper- known all over the world that China has
off diplomatic initiative across the world son has alleged that the Indian Air Force developed close ties with the Pakistani
exposing the Pakistani military’s close (IAF) “violated the Line of Control ” as the army, both overtly and covertly, and its
proximity with the terror outfits. “aircrafts intruded into Pakistan.” civilian face, Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The sources close to the foreign of- Among the high-profile diplomatic There are many doubting Thomases
fice, the Indian diplomats have been to community in New Delhi, Indians are that Indian bombing was not as success-
explain the Indian stand against ter- being appreciated as masters of coining ful as being claimed. However, it is a fact
rorism in the world capitals. According words. India’s key-role in dismembering that the bombing of the POK destina-
to BBC news the Indian bombing has Pakistan is being seen as the victory of the tions has unnerved the Pakistani forces.
not caused much damage to the terror- democracy and sub-ntionalism of Ben- For the past one week or so, the line of
ists’ places in the POK, many interpret galis in the East Pakistan. control (LOC) which divides, Pakistani
that the Pakistani authorities did not It is being stated that India has suc- occupied Kashmir with the Indian side
allow the media team to visit the actual
places where bombing has successfully
destroyed their targets .
The Indian Air Force bombing of the
POK centres of the Jihadis, the Indian
foreign office has asserted it as a non-
military intervention. A foreign diplo-
mat recalled that when India detonated
a nuclear device in 1974, it was described
a peaceful implosion, now Indian Air
Force jets bomb terrorists’ hideouts in
the Pakistani occupied Kashmir (POK);
it is now being described a non-military
intervention!
India’s foreign secretary, Vijay Gokh-
le told media on Tuesday, 26 February,
almost within four hours of the bomb-
ings that it was a non-military interven-
tion, which was targeted only against the
terrorists and their hideouts. Meanwhile,
the Indian Government through its dip-