Indian army attacks terror launch pads in PoK

Defence sources said seven terror launch pads across the LoC were destroyed by special forces of the Indian Army on the intervening night of Sept 28 and 29 in a nearly five-hour-long operation during which heliborne and ground forces were deployed.

Sources said the launch pads in PoK were in the range of 2 to 3km from the LoC and were under surveillance for over one week while Minister Venkaiah Naidu said the strikes targeted 5-6 places across the LoC along Kupwara and Poonch. There was no casualty on the Indian side. 

“Based on specific information on Wednesday that some terrorist teams had positioned themselves at launch pads along the LoC with an aim to carry out terrorist strikes in J&K  and in various other metros in our country, the army targeted these launch pads last night,” Gen Singh, accompanied by MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup, told a news conference. 

The announcement of the strikes was made soon after Prime Minister Modi chaired a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security(CCS). Modi informed President Pranab Mukherjee, J and K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and former Premier Mahmohan Singh among others on the surgical strikes.

“The operations have since ceased. We do not have any plans for continuation of further operations,” he said. 

“The operations aimed at neutralizing the terrorists have since ceased. We do not have any plans for continuation of further operations. However, the Indian armed forces are fully prepared for any contingency that may arise,” he said. The DGMO said he had spoken to the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations and explained India’s concerns and also shared with him details of the operation. 

Putting aside their differences, political parties came together to hail the surgical strikes by Army across the Line of Control, with BJP saying it signals the “rise of new India” and Congress terming it as a “strong message” to Pakistan to stop aiding terrorism. Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi said a “strong message” has been sent with the surgical strikes by Army. Her son and party’s Vice President Rahul Gandhi said that all stand firmly united against terrorism and those who support and sponsor it. Meanwhile, people living within 10 kms of the border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab have been asked to shift to safer places and schools ordered to be shut till further notice in the wake of surgical strike carried out by the Army across the LoC.