Will brief PM, other senior Ministers
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 25: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and three Service chiefs including Gen Bipin Rawat (Army), Birender Singh Dhanoa (Indian Air Force) and Sunil Lanba (Navy) held a high-level review of security situation across the country especially Jammu and Kashmir and frontiers with Pakistan post-Pulwama attack after which the Defence Minister briefed defence Attaches of 42 countries in the Union capital.
The Defence Minister and three Services chief were now likely to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on the situation tomorrow or a day after, sources told the Excelsior.
The meeting assumed significance as it comes at a time when India has warned of strong action to revenge the martyrdom of 44 CRPF personnel in Pulwama terror attack on February 14 and rushed over 100 additional companies of para-military forces to Kashmir.
Sources said Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat and Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba met the Defence Minister before her address to Defence Attaches of 42 nations in the Union capital.
The Ministry of Defence, according to sources, was closely monitoring situation on the frontiers with Pakistan along with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs post-Pulwama attack with India making aggressive postures following statements from top leadership of the country including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh that martyrdom of the CRPF jawans won’t go in vain.
“There have been reports of an unusual movement on Pakistan side of the frontiers in panic following Indian threat of revenge including both Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB). Pakistan has deployed more troops along the borders and, at some of the places, even shifted the civilians,” sources pointed out and said Pakistan side was completely frustrated following Indian Government’s firm resolve to revenge the martyrdom of 44 CRPF jawans in Pulwama.
They said various aspects of the situation were being constantly reviewed by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs to revenge Pulwama killings. Apart from this, situation in the Kashmir Valley is also being reviewed regularly, where security forces were engaged in massive search operations against the militants especially the cadre of Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit. Post-Pulwama attack, eight top militants, majority of them belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit, have been eliminated in the Valley.
“The Defence Minister, the Army chief and the Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal were getting daily briefing from the top Commanders in Jammu and Kashmir,” sources said, adding that the Army chief could visit the State shortly.
It was, however, situation as usual along the International Border as well as Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring Punjab with no additional movement of the troops while, according to sources, extra ordinary movement has been observed on Pakistan side where top officials of Pakistan army and Rangers were regularly visiting forward posts to review the situation. Pakistan army commanders and Rangers were also holding frequent meetings and have either shifted people from some of the forward villages or asked them to remain in state of alert to leave in no time.
However, barring ceasefire violations on the LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, situation on the Indian side of the LoC was normal.
Even today, Pakistan army resorted to ceasefire violation on the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district by targeting forward posts and civilian areas at 6.30 pm.
The Indian side retaliated effectively, leading to exchanges that continued for about an hour. However, there was no casualty or damage on the Indian side in Pakistan firing, sources said, adding that casualties, if any, on the Pakistan side couldn’t be ascertained immediately.
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