Pakistan waging proxy war in Jammu & Kashmir: Parrikar

“Pakistan has always been trying to occupy Jammu and Kashmir, and we consider this land (Jammu and Kashmir) and its people as our integral part. “After facing defeat in face-to-face battles, Pakistan is now engaging in a proxy war on this paradise on the earth. They also targetted others parts of the country. Our soldiers are fighting this battle professionally,” Parrikar, who was on a two-day visit to Kashmir, said at a function here. The Defence Minister, accompanied by Army Chief General Dalbir Singh, was here to pay homage to Major Somnath Sharma, the first Param Vir Chakra awardee of independent India and other soldiers who laid down their lives while pushing back an offensive by Pakistani raiders to control Srinagar Airport in 1947. 

“On this occasion, let us renew the pledge to give fitting reply to the proxy war and end terrorism here,” Parrikar said addressing a gathering of ex-servicemen. The Defence Minister said Pakistan was trying to mislead its own people and the people of Kashmir. “There is a popularly elected government here which is for the benefit of the Kashmiri people and take them on the path of development”. Parrikar said he has told the army officers to look into the issue, but the pressure should also come from the villages for saving the schools. “For the last four months, many anti-social elements sponsored by Pakistan – who have nothing to do with the peace-loving people of Kashmir – have dealt a blow to the economy of Kashmir,” he said. 

Infiltration bid foiled: BSF troops on Thursday foiled an infiltration bid by suspected terrorists along the international border in Kathua district of J and K. This is the sixth infiltration bid by armed terrorists in the last fortnight. “BSF troops noticed movement of two suspected terrorists along IB in Hiranagar Sector, Kathua (Jammu region) in the wee hours on Thursday,” a senior BSF officer said. “They hid themselves after reaching the vicinity of IB,” he said.

Pakistan named eight Indian High Commission officials alleging that they were members of Indian intelligence agencies and involved in ‘subversive activities’, in the latest titfor-tat action amid raging Indo-Pak tensions.

Foreign Office Spokesman Nafees Zakaria read out a statement saying that a number of Indian diplomats and staffers were involved in “coordinating terrorist and subversive activities in Pakistan”. “Their names and designations are: RAW’s station chief Anurag Singh, first secretary Commercial; Commercial Counsellor Rajesh Kumar Agnihotri; Amerdeep Singh, attache visa; Dharmendra Sodhi, staff; Vijay Kumar, staff; and Madhavan Nanda Kumar, staff,” he said. 

“Indian Intelligence Bureau’s operatives are Balbir Singh, first secretary press and information and IB station chief and Jayabalan Senthil, assistant personnel welfare officer,” Zakaria said. He claimed that Surjeet Singh, also an IB operative. Surjeet was using a fake identity pretending to be telecom company Warid’s employee, he claimed.

Meanwhile, India blasted Pakistan for levelling fanciful accusations against Indian HC’s 8 diplomats, which New Delhi termed against norms of  diplomatic practice and courtesy. MEA spokesman Vikas Swarup completely reject “the baseless and unsubstantiated allegations made by Pakistan against certain officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.” “The Government  categorically denies those allegations,” he said.