Gen Naravane reviews situation
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 18: Army chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane today gave clear instructions to the Commanders to give befitting reply to Pakistan army in case of any provocation by them on the Line of Control (LoC).
He gave these instructions while reviewing situation along the LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri at 16 Corps Headquarters in Nagrota where he reached this morning on a two-day visit.
Sources said the Chief of Army Staff met top Military Commanders in Nagrota and reviewed with them operational preparedness of the troops and situation prevailing on the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts where Pakistan army has been regularly resorting to ceasefire violations pounding civilian areas with mortar shells and artillery fires.
Gen Naravane is reported to have issues clear instructions to the Army Commanders to give befitting reply to Pakistan in case of provocation by them on the LoC.
The Army Commanders reviewed the measures taken by the Army to neutralize Pakistan’s attempts on the LoC to facilitate infiltration by the trained militants into the Indian territory from the launching pads.
While Army has foiled all infiltration attempts by the militants, aided and abetted by Pakistan Army on the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts, there were reports that launch pads on Pakistan side of the LoC were full of militants and more intrusion bids in future were expected.
In view of this, Army has been maintaining very high alert on the LoC to ensure that the militants don’t manage to succeed in their infiltration attempts.
“Ceasefire violations by Pakistan army are being replied with very effectively,’’ sources said.
The Army chief would have night stay at Nagrota Corps Headquarters and return to New Delhi tomorrow afternoon.
This was second visit of Gen Naravane to Jammu region after taking over as the Chief of Army Staff on December 31, 2019 from Gen Bipin Rawat. Last month, he had visited the Northern Command Headquarters and forward areas on the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts.
Prior to that, he had also visited Siachen Glacier, the highest battlefield in the world, located in the Union Territory of Ladakh. The visit to Siachen Glacier was his first to any place outside New Delhi after becoming the Army chief.
According to sources, Pakistan army was desperate to push trained militants into Jammu and Kashmir in view of depleting strength of the militant cadre in the Valley as it wants to intensify militant activities in summer.
Army has taken all preventive measures to thwart designs of the Pakistan army, sources said.
It may be mentioned here that Pakistan army has regularly been resorting to heavy mortar shelling and firing including artillery fires on the LoC targeting defence posts and civilian areas in Poonch and Rajouri districts. Recently, Pakistan army had directly targeted a Mosque at Shahpur along the LoC in Poonch district during Friday prayers killing a civilian and injuring couple of others who were on way to offer the prayers.
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