Category: National

Police said the message written on a piece of paper read: “Modi Ji, do not consider us same people as we were during 1971 (Indo-Pak war). Now each and every child is ready to fight against India.”

India loves peace and does not believe in unprovoked aggression but it won”t take terror lying down, he said, adding that the strikes were also meant to give a message to Pakistan that Indian troops knew how to retaliate.

India’s Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Saturday compared Pakistan’s condition to an “anaesthetised patient” after a surgery and said “like Hanuman Indian Army has recognised its prowess.”
“Pakistan’s condition after the surgical strikes is like that of an anaesthetised patient after a surgery who doesn’t know that the surgery has already been performed on him. Even two days after the surgical strikes, Pakistan has no idea what has happened,” Parrikar said.

India loves peace and does not believe in unprovoked aggression but it won’t take terror lying down, he said, adding that the strikes were also meant to give a message to Pakistan that Indian troops knew how to retaliate.
Comparing the Army to Hanuman, he made a reference to the Ramayana in which the monkey god crossed an ocean in a single stride after he was reminded about his extraordinary powers by Jamwant.
“Indian troops were like Hanuman who did not quite know their prowess before the surgical strikes,” Parrikar said.

Congratulating the troops for the precision and efficacy of the strikes, the Minister said he greeted all its members for their extraordinary feat.
“The surgical strikes gave our forces an idea of what they were capable of doing. Pakistan is bewildered following the strikes, not quite knowing how to react,” Parrikar said in his first public reaction after the reported strikes.
“Indian troops caught Pakistan unawares as our commandos did what they had to without Pakistani authorities getting a wind of it,” he said addressing a gathering at Peethsain in Pauri district.
The Defence Minister was addressing the gathering after unveiling a statue of noted freedom fighter from Uttarakhand Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali in his ancestral village Peethsain.
India claimed to have carried out surgical strikes on seven militant launch pads across the LoC on the intervening night of September 28 and 29, inflicting “significant casualties on militants preparing to infiltrate from PaK.”

The also hit out at the BJP government in Assam over its anti-illegal immigrant drive, alleging that the members of the Muslim community there are being harassed in the name of the initiative.

Condemning the Uri attack, an Islamic body today urged the Centre to take all possible steps to avoid war with Pakistan and suggested that the two sides hold dialogue to resolve the disputes.
Addressing a press conference here, office-bearers of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) also flagged concerns over alleged slow pace of probe in the Mewat double murder and gangrape incident as it claimed that the handling of the case indicates the Haryana government is “shielding” culprits.

The also hit out at the BJP government in Assam over its anti-illegal immigrant drive, alleging that the members of the Muslim community there are being harassed in the name of the initiative.
“We strongly condemn the (Uri) terror attack and death of the soldiers. (But) both India and Pakistan must show wisdom and sincerity using path of dialogue and consultation in order to resolve their issues.
“War is not a panacea for our problems. India must take all steps to avoid war with Pakistan,” JIH president Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari told reporters, according to a statement.

He also asked the government to devise ways to curb breach of security “like it happened in the Uri incident”.
Haryana government had on September 20 handed over to CBI the probe into the murder case of a couple and alleged gangrape of two girls in Mewat on the intervening night of August 24 and 25 in which their kin had suspected the role of cow vigilantes.
JIH secretary general Muhammad Salim Engineer, who also briefed the press, voiced concerns over Assam government’s anti-illegal immigrant drive and claimed many community members have been put in jail without proper probe.

“I am also an artiste and artistes don’t fall from the sky. Pakistani artistes have refused to condemn Uri terror attack. Why should our artists speak up for them?,” Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief told reporters here.

Stepping up his attack on Bollywood superstar Salman Khan for opposing the ban on Pakistani artistes in India, MNS chief Raj Thackeray today asked him to go and work there.
“Our soldiers don’t have any personal animosity with Pakistani soldiers. The bullets our soldiers face are not filmy. Salman gets up after being hit by a bullet,” Raj said, reacting to Salman’s remarks, adding “I have seen his tubelight blinker many a time.”

“I am also an artiste and artistes don’t fall from the sky. Pakistani artistes have refused to condemn Uri terror attack. Why should our artists speak up for them?,” Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief told reporters here.
Raj said the 50-year-old actor should work in Pakistan if he has so much love for artistes of the neighbouring country.
“Artistes should know its always ‘nation first’. Artistes are not inseparable from society. Is there a dearth of talent in our country?,” he said, adding those supporting Pakistani artists will face opposition from his party.

Raj said he does not buy the argument that there is no justification in banning Pakistani artists since they are not terrorists.
“How does that concern me if the people are good. I am seeing only terrorists who come to kill our people,” he said, adding film industry was only concerned about the business of their films.
Raj said what would happen if Indian soldiers keep aside their arms to hear a Ghulam Ali concert. “What will happen then. Are soldiers our servants? …They are protecting us.”
Interestingly, Raj is on good terms with Salman and is a regular visitor to the actor’s home during the Ganpati festival.
Salman had yesterday said artistes from Pakistan should not be treated like terrorists and art and terrorism should not be mixed.
Also the Shiv Sena slammed Salman Khan for coming out in support of Pakistani actors working in India, saying the actor keeps on talking “nonsense” as none from his family had laid their lives down for the country.
“No one from his (Salman’s) family has died for the country and hence, he keeps on talking nonsense. Even if you take a protest march to his house, it will not work and he will continue to talk so,” Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut told a press conference here.
He said the actor should be “kept in confinement” in his house so that he “does not speak his mind”.
“When the country is against terrorism and there are possibilities of a war with Pakistan, Salim Khan should keep his son locked in his house, because you never know what will he say and insult him (Salim),” Raut said, adding that Salman’s statement was “in contradiction” to his father’s “firm stance” against Pakistan.
The 50-year-old actor had yesterday said in Delhi that artistes from Pakistan “should not be treated like terrorists” and “art and terrorism should not be mixed”.
Mumbai-based Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association has passed a resolution to ban Pakistani actors from the industry in the wake of the Uri terror attack in Kashmir which left 19 soldiers of the Indian Army dead.

SRINAGAR: The Army units under Western Command have been directed to maintain a high level of preparedness within their respective locations in order to respond quickly to any order to be deployed in their respective operational areas.

The Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh, is in Jammu visiting Northern Command on Saturday to review the operational situation.

Reports said that Army has issued orders to the formations under Western Command that all deficiencies of war-like stores must be immediately completed and the units should be ready to prepare for any contingency.

The leaves of all essential personnel have already been curtailed.

The Western Army Commander, Lt Gen Surinder Singh, is reported to have been in close touch with his Corps Commanders over the levels of preparedness and has called a meeting of the senior Commanders to review the situation, The Indian Express reported.

Sources informed that the Army divisions based in Ferozepur and Amritsar, which fall under the Jalandhar Corps, the Patiala-based armoured division as well as the subsidiary units of the Meerut-based infantry division located in Punjab have been in a state of alert well before the operation on Line of Control (LoC) took place.

“The Pakistan Army has been observed to have moved its regular units close to the border in the past few days and hence we are well prepared. A Pakistani brigade had been observed to have moved to forward locations in the Sialkot sector,” reports quoting sources said.

The Western Command units in the Pathankot-Kathua-Samba-Jammu-Akhnoor stretch have already a higher state of alert due to the insurgency in J&K.

The senior Army officer disclosed that while the actual deployment of troops will depend upon the politico-military situation as it develops, the review of operational plans of the Command is being undertaken in order to meet any directions from the higher headquarters.

Incidentally, it was only two weeks back that the Western Command got a permanent GOC-in-C after the appointment remained vacant for a month and a half as senior Army officers’ postings were put on hold.

Srinagar: India and Pakistan on Saturday exchanged gunfire in the Akhnoor sector of the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Pakistan Rangers targeted Border Security Force BSF positions on the International Border in Akhnoor sector of Jammu district today (Saturday) morning. Rangers used small arms and automatics,” reports said.

However, Pakistani media quoting its army said, “Indian army troops stationed along Line of Control and IB violated the ceasefire which was duly retaliated by our men.”

“BSF has retaliated Pakistan firing using same calibre weapons. Intermittent firing exchanges are still going on in the area,” reports added.

The firing, which started at 4 am, is still underway. “This is the third ceasefire violation in Akhnoor sector in last 36 hours.”

Meanwhile, Indian army chief General Dalbir Singh arrived in winter capital this morning to review border security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

“He will take stock of the prevailing situation on the borders in the state,” reports said.  “He will receive a briefing at the Udhampur headquarters of the Northern Command.”

“GOC-in-C of Northern Command and the three corps commanders of 14, 15 and 16 will be present during the briefing session,” the reported added.

“It is likely the Army Chief might visit some forward positions on the Line of Control (LoC),” they said.

Hindustan Times

If India and Pakistan fought a war detonating 100 nuclear warheads (around half of their combined arsenal), each equivalent to a 15-kiloton Hiroshima bomb, more than 21 million people will be directly killed, about half the world’s protective ozone layer would be destroyed, and a “nuclear winter” would cripple the monsoons and agriculture worldwide.

As the Indian Army reports striking terrorist camps across the border, and a member of Parliament (MP) of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) urges a nuclear attack and the Pakistan defence minister threatens to “annihilate” India in return, these projections, made by researchers from three US universities in 2007, are a reminder of the costs of nuclear war.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy said, on 23 September, 2016, that if 100 million Indians died in a Pakistani nuclear attack, India’s retaliation would wipe out Pakistan.

But the real costs would be higher and not just in India and Pakistan, where the first 21 million people–half the death toll of World War II–would perish within the first week from blast effects, burns and acute radiation, according to the 2007 study by researchers from Rutgers University, University of Colorado-Boulder and University of California, Los Angeles, all in the USA.

This death toll would be 2,221 times the number of civilians and security forces killed by terrorists in India over nine years to 2015, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of South Asia Terrorism Portal data.

Another two billion people worldwide would face risks of severe starvation due to the climatic effects of the nuclear-weapon use in the subcontinent, according to this 2013assessment by the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, a global federation of physicians.

Pakistan has an estimated 110 to 130 nuclear warheads as of 2015–an increase from an estimated 90 to 110 warheads in 2011–according to this report from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a global disarmament advocacy. India is estimated to have 110 to 120 nuclear warheads.

Talk of war began after a terrorist attack on an army garrison in the Kashmir town of Uri claimed the lives of 18 Indian soldiers. The Indian Armysaid the attack was carried out by four terrorists from the Jaish-e-Mohammed (Army of Mohammed) group, based in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja M Asif responded to threats from India by saying, “If Pakistan’s security is threatened, we will not hesitate in using tactical (nuclear) weapons.”

Pakistan’s nuclear weapons capability has previously deterred India from responding to previous attacks.

“At the end of the day, India has to ensure that the options it exercises–particularly the military ones–do not leave it worse off than before in terms of casualties and costs,” wrote analyst Manoj Joshi in The Wire.

It does not really matter if India has fewer nuclear weapons than Pakistan, IndiaSpendreported in April, 2015, primarily because of the doctrine of “mutually assured destruction”, or MAD, as it is commonly known (See this IndiaSpend report for more about India’s nuclear weapons program).

66% Pakistan’s nuclear weapons on ballistic missiles

As many as 66% Pakistani nuclear warheads are mounted on 86 land-based ballistic missiles, according to Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists data estimates.

Pakistan’s Hatf (named after the sword of Prophet Muhammad) series of ballistic missiles has been developed–and is still under development–keeping India in mind.

A major attack by Pakistan’s nuclear-tipped medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) would likely target India’s four major metropolitan cities–New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai (depending on where the missile is fired from), according to Sameer Patil, fellow, national security, ethnic conflict and terrorism at Gateway House, a think tank in Mumbai.

The MRBMs would also target “the major commands of the Indian Army”, Patil told IndiaSpend.

Nearly half (40) of Pakistan’s ballistic missile warheads could be mated to Ghauri (named after 12th-century Afghan king Shahbuddin Ghauri, also known as Muhammad of Ghauri) MRBMs. The missile has a claimed range of 1,300 km and can target Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Bhopal and Lucknow, according to this 2006 report on Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme by the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

Pakistan has an estimated eight warheads which could be mated to the Shaheen (Falcon) II. This MRBM has a range of 2,500 km and can target most major Indian cities, including Kolkata on the east coast.

An estimated 16 warheads could be fired atop the short-range Ghaznavi (named after the 11th-century Afghan invader Mahmud Ghazni) ballistic missile. With a range of 270 km to 350 km, it can target Ludhiana, Ahmedabad and the outer perimeter of Delhi.

Pakistan has an estimated 16 nuclear-tipped Shaheen1 (falcon), short-range ballistic missiles (IRBM), having a 750 km range which can reach Ludhiana, Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmedabad.

Pakistan has an estimated six 60-km range Nasr missiles, which could be mated to nuclear weapons. These tactical nuclear missiles could target “advancing battle formations of the Indian Army”, according to Patil. These missiles could be what Asif referred to.

Pakistan also has eight nuclear-tipped 350-km Babur cruise missiles with nuclear warheads.

An estimated 36 nuclear warheads, accounting for 28% of Pakistan’s total, can be delivered using aircraft. US-made F-16 A/B aircraft can deliver 24 nuclear bombs while the French-made Mirage III/V can deliver 12.

India’s triad: Submarine, missile and aircraft

India has deployed 56 Prithvi (earth) and Agni (fire) series of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, which carry 53% of India’s 106 estimated warheads, according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.

This doesn’t take into account the estimated 12 warheads for the K-15 Sagarika submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), which India has possibly produced for the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine INS Arihant.

Once commissioned, Arihant would give India a strategic nuclear triad and second strike capability, as this July 2015 IndiaSpend report notes.

“Given the smaller geographical size of Pakistan,” said Patil, India would likely target “Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi and the Pakistani Army Armed Corps headquarters at Nowshera”.

However, he cautioned: “The fallout of the nuclear attacks on Lahore and Karachi, for instance, would not just be restricted to the Pakistani territory, and depending on the wind directions, can affect both Indian and Afghan border territories.”

The 250 km-range Prithvi SRBM acts as a delivery system for 24 of India’s warheads. These are capable of hitting major Pakistani cities, such as Lahore, Sialkot, the capital Islamabad, and Rawalpindi, according to this May 2015 IndiaSpend analysis.

India has 20 nuclear-tipped Agni I SRBM and eight Agni II intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBMs), with ranges of 700 km and 2,000 km, respectively. These are capable of covering almost all Pakistani cities, including Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar, Karachi, Quetta and Gwadar.

Agni III, IV and V, with their longer ranges, might be able to reach all of Pakistan, but it can be safely said that they are directed more towards China.

India also possesses an estimated two ship-launched 350-km range Dhanush SRBM, which could be fitted with nuclear warheads.

India’s aircraft can deliver an estimated 45% of 106 warheads. The Indian Air Force’s Jaguar fighter bombers can deliver about 16 nuclear warheads, while the French-built Mirage-2000 fleet can deliver 32.

Update: This story has been updated to reflect news of Indian strikes in Pakistan.

(Sethi is a Mumbai-based freelance writer and defence analyst.)

The story was first published by IndiaSpend, India’s first data journalism initiative.

Reported By : Barkha Dutt

NEW DELHI: The special op forces who crossed the Line of Control for surgical strikes on Wednesday night returned “with not one scratch,” top army forces have told NDTV, denying Pakstani media reports that eight soldiers were killed in the raids in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and one was captured alive. Only one soldier has “minor injuries” from stepping on a mine once back on the Indian side of the Line of Control, said sources.

Army officials say images played out on Pakistan TV channels claiming to show Indian casualties are doctored or morphed clips and “absolutely fake.”

Chandu Babulal Chohan, a 22-year-old soldier from Maharashtra, who is now in Pakistani custody, strayed into Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir “inadvertently”; his capture took place much after the strikes were completed and he is unconnected to the operation, sources in the military said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today that “all attempts” are being made to free the soldier, who has reportedly been moved to an undisclosed location. Lt General Ranbir Singh, the army’s head of military operations, has called his Pakistani counterpart on the hotline used by top commanders to demand the soldier’s return as is done routinely in such circumstances “through established mechanisms.”
Nearly 200 specially-trained soldiers moved between 500 metres and 2 kilometres across the Line of Control along multiple sectors in Jammu and Kashmir and targeted seven “launch pads” or staging areas where terrorists were waiting to infiltrate India and attack major cities.

Pakistan has denied the surgical strikes took place, acknowledging only that there was cross-border firing on Wednesday night in at least four areas along the Line of Control in which two of its soldiers were killed and nine injured. Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif is quoted in Pakistan media as saying that India should offer evidence of its surgical strikes.

Indian sources say the strikes were filmed, in part by drones, and a decision on releasing evidence shall be a tactical one based on how Pakistan responds in the next few days. “Our soldiers went under the cover of darkness up to 2 kilometres across the Line Of Control and returned before sunrise,” said sources to NDTV yesterday. Former military chiefs praised the timing and execution of the operation, which began at midnight and ended at about 4.30 am.

SRINAGAR: “India conducted surgical strikes last night across the LoC (Line of Control) to safeguard our nation, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday. Significant casualties have been caused to militants and those trying to shield them. We don’t have a plan to further conduct such strikes. India has spoken to Pakistan,” DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said.

“There were launch pads across the LoC where militants were present waiting to infiltrate the nation and attack areas in Kashmir and metros across the country,” the DGMO said.

No Indian casualties occurred during the surgical strikes that were carried out last night by the Indian Army.

“We have recovered items including GPS which have Pakistani markings. Captured militants hailing from PaK or Pakistan have confessed to their training in Pakistan or in Pakistan controlled region,” Singh said.

“I spoke to the Pak DGMO, shared our concerns and told him that we conducted surgical strikes last night: DGMO Singh said.

The press conference was jointly conducted by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence.

Meanwhile, Pakistan, in a statement issued has said: At least two Army men were killed as Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire over the Line of Control in “Azad Jammu and Kashmir”.

The exchange of fire began at 2:30am, ISPR said, and continued till 8:00am. “Pakistani troops befittingly responded to Indian unprovoked firing on the LoC in Bhimber, Hotspring Kel and Lipa sectors,” the statement said.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to discuss the ceasefire violations along the Line of Control.

Also present at the meeting were Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, NSA Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.

(The news story first appeared in The Indian Express.)