Onus of extending ceasefire rests on Pakistan, not India
The question that is being asked almost everywhere is: Will the ceasefire hold or will there be another conflagration?
Pakistan’s Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told the Upper House of his Parliament that the ceasefire with India would continue till May 18. He sounded optimistic that the deadline for ceasefire would extend, step by step. Dar said, “During the DGMOs’ conversation, the ceasefire was extended until May 12. When the DGMOs spoke again on May 12, the ceasefire was extended until May 14. Further talks on May 14 led to the ceasefire being extended until May 18.”
On Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh poured cold water on Pakistan’s hopes. At Bhuj air base in Gujarat, Singh said, “Operation Sindoor is not yet over..this was just a trailer..We will show the full movie to the world when the right time comes”.
Leaders in Pakistan are, however, praying for India-Pak talks to begin. Dar said, it is possible that India may agree for talks in the next few days, while PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto, who had threatened ‘river of blood will flow’ on Indus water issue, said, Pakistan wants to have composite talks with India and all issues can be sorted out through negotiations. Pakistani leaders are contacting heads of government in world capitals urging them to persuade India to start talks. But India has taken a strong stand.
Rajnath Singh said, “our indigenous BrahMos missiles rained horror and damaged 11 Pakistanis air bases. “If Pakistan does not learn from this, it should be ready for action”, he added.
India does not want war. India did not attack Pakistan first. Its air force only attacked and destroyed terror hideouts after innocent tourists were massacred in Pahalgam. In reply, Pakistan tried to attack our military installations. Pakistan was taught a lesson under Operation Sindoor. Its civilian leadership is now lamenting. Rajnath Singh’s response has been blunt. He has said, this is only a trailer and Pakistan should wait for the full movie.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Adampur air base, told armed forces to remain on alert and if Pakistan makes any mischief, they are free to take action. Operation Sindoor will continue.
There is only one way out: Pakistan must abandon the path of terrorism, wind up all terrorist bases on its soil, and hand over all wanted terrorists to India. It is now for the Pakistani government and its army to decide. If they do not, they should be ready to watch the whole movie.
India has carefully explained this to Paistan, and to the US too. So, the onus on whether to continue the ceasefire or not, is not on India, but on Pakistan. If Pakistan carries out any fresh mischief, our BrahMos missiles will finish off the remaining air bases in Pakistan. Rajnath put it bluntly on Friday,”the trailer lasted only 23 minutes, the time taken by people to finish breakfast. Our air force finished off their air bases within that time.”
Already, Pakistan government has issued tender notices for repair of its damaged air bases in Rawalpindi, Risalpur and Kallar Kahar. People in Pakistan are now asking if these air bases require repairs, why did PAF tell a lie that none of its air bases was damaged in Indian attack.
Pakistan’s policy : Get IMF money, Pay terrorists
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced compensation of Rs 1 crore to the legal heir of each of the terrorists killed in India’s air strike on terror hideouts on May 6-7 night. It can end up paying Rs 14 crore in compensation of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, because he lost 14 of his family members in the air strike on his headquarter in Bahawalpur. Shehbaz Sharif has also promised to give Rs 20 lakh ex-gratia to kin of each terrorist killed in Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarter at Muridke. He has also promised to rebuild these terror headquarters and other terror camps.
On Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, Pakistan will be giving to terrorists crores of money collected from taxpayers and from a billion dollar loan received from IMF. Singh said, India will not tolerate this brazen support to terrorism by Pakistan. This is clearly “indirect terror funding”, he said.
Pakistan is groaning under a total debt of 225 billion dollars, which accounts for 70 per cent of its GDP. Pakistan now stands exposed to the world on the issue of terrorism.
On one hand, Pakistan says it does not support terrorists, then one would like to know: Will Rs 14 crore be given to Masood Azhar for farming? Pakistan says, it has no terror camps. The question is: Did Masood Azhar’s 14 associates die while playing cricket? Is Rs 14 crore a reward to Masood Azhar for spilling blood of innocent people?
The whole world has now seen the damaged headquarters of Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed, where terrorists were being recruited and given training. When IAF destroyed both these headquarters, Pakistan described these places as mosques and madrasas. Now Pakistan government is going to rebuild them.
When the bodies of terrorists were blown to pieces in Indian attack, Pakistan described them as civilians and ‘family man’. Why were the coffins of these terrorists draped in Pakistan’s national flag? Why were senior army generals standing in mourning at their funerals?
Pakistan cannot lie anymore. For the last four decades, it has allowed terrorists to kill innocent people, struck at our revered Bharat Mata several times, and when our armed forces destroyed these hideouts, Pakistan started cribbing.
Pakistan knows it quite well that Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed are still living in safe houses and they get full cover from Pakistani army and air force. That is why India has made this amply clear.
So long as Pakistan does not hand over wanted terrorists to India, the war on terrorism shall continue. Pakistan is also now crying out for Indus river water. Prime Minister Modi has said clearly, “Blood and water cannot flow together.”
Limited offer for Pakistan: Hand over terrorists to India
India on Thursday clearly laid down conditions for non-escalation of tension and continuation of ceasefire with Pakistan. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar drew the red lines for normalization of bilateral relations. He said, if Pakistan wants to start negotiations, it must first hand over those ‘most wanted’ terrorists, whose list India had given to Pakistan, and dismantle all terrorists’ infrastructure on its soil.
Jaishankar said, Indus Waters Treaty shall continue to remain in abeyance until cross-border terrorism from Pakistan is “credibly and irrevocably stopped”.
In the past, India had given list of most wanted global terrorists several times to Pakistan. They include 1993 Mumbai blasts mastermind underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his associate Chhota Shakeel, 26/11 Mumbai attacks masterminds Lashkar chief Hafiz Saeed, Sajid Mir and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, pro-Khalistan terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda, Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, and the mastermind of 2001 Parliament attack, 2019 Pulwama blast and 2016 Pathankot attack Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, to name only a few.
All these terror masterminds have been seen in Lahore, Sialkot, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Pak Occupied Kashmir living under protection of Pakistani army.
The list that S. Jaishankar has mentioned is enough for Pakistani leaders to lose their sleep. He has touched a raw vein and it is bound to make Pakistan squirm. The External Affairs Minister has caused pain that hundreds of guided bombs could not.
Pakistan is now caught in a Catch-22 situation. If it hands over these terror masterminds, the world will come to know that it gives shelter to terrorists. If Pakistan refuses to hand over, India is going to strike deep inside Pakistan.
India is going to find out the secret places where these terror masterminds have been kept in hiding by Pakistan. India will show to the world that Pakistan is running a huge terror industry, where suicide killers and terrorists are trained and sent to most parts of the world.
Irresponsible Pak nuke arsenal: hand over to IAEA
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Bhuj air base in Gujarat on Friday and nailed Pakistan’s lie about causing destruction.
A day before, during his first visit to Jammu & Kashmir post-conflict, Singh described Pakistan as a rogue nation whose nuclear arsenal must be brought under the scanner of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He said, “I raise this question before the whole world.: Are nuclear warheads safe in the hands of such an irresponsible and rogue nation? Pakistan’s nuclear weapons must be brought under the supervision of IAEA.”
Rajnath Singh said, Indian armed forces hit nine top terrorist hideouts inside Pakistan within a span of 23 minutes. “Those terrorists from Pakistan tried to strike at our head, we struck at the heart of Pakistan. Terrorists killed innocent people in the name of ‘dharma’ (religion), we bashed Pakistan because of its ‘karma’ (act). This is the age of New India.”
Rajnath Singh selected the right target at the right time. Pakistani leaders and generals gave threats about using nukes against India during Operation Sindoor several times, but our armed forces jammed the entire Pakistani air defence system within 23 minutes and then proceeded to destroy most of its air bases. Our forces fired missiles at the entrances of Pakistan’s nuclear weapon sites.
The message to Pakistan is clear: Stop giving threats in the name of atom bombs. If Pakistan resorts to more mischief, those nuclear arsenals will turn Pakistan into a graveyard. The next targets of our armed forces are going to be Pakistan’s nuclear arsenals.
A scary Pakistani leadership went to seek assistance from the US. The entire world is now pondering whether Pakistan deserves to remain a responsible nuclear power. There is a risk of terrorists getting hold of its nuclear assets. If any untoward happens in India, our armed forces are definitely going to target such installations. This can be a big danger for the rest of the world. It was, in this context, that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal must come under the scrutiny of IAEA.
Trump, trade and terror
In another flip-flop, US President Donald Trump on Thursday, while addressing his troops in Qatar, said, “I don’t want to say I did (brokered ceasefire), but I sure as hell helped settled the problem between Pakistan and India last week, which was getting more and more hostile…We got it settled. I hope I don’t walk out of here and two days later find out that it’s not settled. But I think it is settled.” In fact, Donald Trump repeated what Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and our army had said. The formal request for ceasefire came from the DGMO of Pakistan army to our Army DGMO and an understanding was agreed upon. Trump did not bring about this ceasefire, but during the last one week he had made this claim several times. Today he made his U-turn. Trump is, after all, Trump. He has said several times that he is going to solve the Kashmir problem that has been festering between India and Pakistan “for a thousand years”. India has made it clear several times that Kashmir is a bilateral issue and there is no question of the involvement of any third party as mediator. Pakistan is willing for third party mediation, but India has been consistently following a policy of ” no third party mediation”. India does not require a mediator. Trump also claimed he spoke to both India and Pakistan on trade. “Let’s do trade instead of war. And Pakistan was very happy with that, and India was very happy too, and I think they are on the way…”. I think Trump must be knowing India’s position quite clearly. Trade and terror cannot go together. Prime Minister Modi has made it quite clear several times. He had also added, water and blood cannot flow together. I hope, Trump’s advisers might have told him about this.
Pakistan can no more hide behind nuke threat
US President Donald Trump has claimed that his top officials timely averted a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan. Trump had said, “I think it could have been a bad nuclear war. Millions of people could have been killed.” The question is, who told the US President that India and Pakistan were on the verge of a nuclear war? The Indian government has denied that Pakistan’s nuclear assets were hit.
During a media briefing, the Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal A.K. Bharti was asked about widespread speculation about the impact of India’s air strike on a suspected nuclear site called Kirana Hills near Pakistan Air Force’s Mushaf air base in Sargodha. Air Marshal A.K.Bharti clearly said, “Indian forces did not know about the site. We did not hit Kirana hills, whatever is there”.
Austrian air warfare historian Tom Cooper in an interview to India TV, pointed to videos showing hits to the entrances of Pakistan’s nuclear site in Kirana hills. Cooper said, IAF strikes hit at least two entrances to the underground complex housing nuclear warheads. He asserted that this meant Pakistan air force’s access to its own nuclear weapons has likely been cut off. “Pakistan cannot protect its own nuclear weapon storage sites and India is in a position of clear advantage”, he added. Cooper said, Pakistan was left with no other options but to seek a ceasefire.
Nuclear weapon is an issue on which no country would like to speak openly. But in recent weeks, when tensions rose post-Pahalgam killings, Pakistani leaders made the nuclear bomb threat look like a joke. Pakistan’s railway minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi said his country had 130 nuclear bombs. Somebody should have asked the minister how he knew about this exact count. Are Pakistan’s nuclear weapons stored at railway stations? Almost every top minister of Pakistan had been threatening use of nukes against India. But now, after the four-day-long conflict, the scene completely changed. Pakistan’s top leadership almost cribbed before the US saying its nuclear hideouts have become targets for India’s missiles.
Three points need to be noted. One, Trump said if the conflict between the two countries had continued, it could have led to the deaths of millions of people. Any sane person can easily surmise that such a huge toll can only take place if there is a nuclear war.
Two, international experts have confirmed that Indian missiles reached the entry points to the tunnels that led to Pakistan’s nuclear warheads.
Three, threat of radiation. An American plane reportedly conducted a surveillance to check radiation, but these are all speculations on social media. The main point is that India has called Pakistan’s nuclear bluff.
Pakistan now clearly understands that any amount of threat to use nuclear warheads would not provide cover to its terrorists. India, on its part, does not care two hoots about such threats.
On May 6-7 night, India attacked all terrorist targets inside Pakistan and destroyed them within a span of 23 minutes. All our pilots returned to their bases safely. For 23 minutes, Pakistan could not realize what happened, where and how? Because our forces had choked Pakistan’s air defence system for those 23 vital minutes. Pakistan’s armed forces remained in the dark, their radar systems blacked out. India has now clearly said, any terror strike, both executors and sponsors, will not be spared, wherever they may hide. Our valiant armed forces will hunt them out and neutralize them. Nobody should have any doubts now. We have proved it and we showed it to the world.
Every Indian must boycott Turkiye and Azerbaijan
“Boycott Turkiye and Azerbaijan” have become new trends on social media after both these countries openly supported Pakistan. Swarms of Turkiye-made killer drones were sent by Pakistan during the four-day-long conflict with India. The nation, as one, is angry over the role of both these countries. Turkiye exports apples, dry fruits, marble, cement, mineral oil, chemicals, iron and steel and other products to India and lakhs of Indian tourists visit both these countries every year. In the last one week, 60 per cent decline in tourist bookings to both these countries have been noticed. There have been 250 per cent rise in cancellations of trips by tourists to both these countries. Several travel agencies have stopped booking tourist trips to Turkiye and Azebaijan. Federation of Western India Cine Employees has demanded cancellation of all film shootings in Turkiye, the favourite destinations for our film directors. Industrialist Harsh Goenka wrote on X: “Indians gave Rs 4,000+cr to Turkey & Azerbaijan last year through tourism. Created jobs. Boosted their economy, hotels, weddings, flights. Today, both stand with Pakistan after Pahalgam attack. Plenty of beautiful places in India & the world. Please skip these 2 places. Jai Hind.” It is a fact that Indian gave a boost to the economies of both these countries. Turkey supplied killer drones to Pakistan to attack India. I think, trade and terror, tourism and terror cannot go together. I had recently accepted a birthday invite of one of my friends. He wanted to celebrate his birthday in Turkiye next month. We were supposed to stay for five days in Turkiye. After the Pahalgam killings, I lost interest and after watching Turkish killer drones used by Pakistan, the question of visiting Turkiye does not arise, at all. I told my friend about this and he immediately cancelled all bookings. There are many such patriotic Indians who have decided not to visit Turkiye and Azerbaijan so long as both support Pakistan. Every Indian should do this.
BJP must take strict action against MP minister Vijay Shah
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to immediately grant a stay on Madhya Pradesh High Court order directing registration of an FIR against state minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for making objectionable comments against Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India B.R.Gavai, said, “A person holding such a public office is expected to uphold certain standards. Every sentence uttered by a minister has to be with responsibility”. When the minister’s counsel said, Vijay Shah has apologised for his remarks, Chief Justice Gavai said, “Go and apologise to the High Court.”
The Tribal Affairs Minister, at an event had remarked that India has taught a lesson to those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack, by using “their own sister”. While he did not name any individual, the Congress alleged he was alluding to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who had briefed the media during Operation Sindoor.
Justice Atul Sreedharan of Madhya Pradesh High Court while directing the Director General of Police to register a detailed FIR against the minister, remarked that Vijay Shah has used “scurrilous language” against a senior female Army officer.
The High Court division bench said, the armed forces are perhaps the “last institution existring in this country” reflecting integrity, discipline, sacrifice, selflessness, character, honour and indomitable courage, with which any citizen of India who values the same, can identify himself with. India’s armed forces have been targeted by Vijay Shah who has used the language of the gutters.”
Top BJP leaders have reprimanded the minister for making such a remark. National Commission for women has also said that Vijay Shah has not only insulted daughters and sisters, but the entire nation by his remarks.
Vijay Shah is a politician, who has won assembly elections eight times. He has put the entire party to embarrassment. Congress workers staged protest outside his residence. What Vijay Shah said is a sin. Those defending our borders are our brothers and sisters. They are soldiers in uniform and moreover, they are not connected to any single community or religion. They belong to the proud heritage of our great nation.
The nation takes pride in Colonel Sofia Qureshi. It is unfortunate that a minister having a lowly mindset spoke scurrilous things about her. A case must be filed against the minister. Such persons must have no place in public life. BJP must take strict action against him.
Adampur air base : How Modi nailed Pakistan’s lies
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only repeated his warning to Pakistan to choose either between terrorism or annihilation, but also nailed Pakistan’s lies about inflicting damage on IAF’s Adampur air base. He reached India’s second largest air force station in a cargo plane C-30J Hercules aircraft.
The message was clear to the world. Adampur air base is intact and Pakistan’s claim of having destroyed our S-400 missile system was a white lie. While the PM addressed IAF and BSF jawans, on the background was shown S-400 missile system and Indian fighter jets. It was a LIVE Fact Check by none other than Modi.
Pakistan Air Force had been claiming that it had destroyed Adampur air base, but it turned out to be a lie. Modi said, all our armed forces displayed better coordination and worked to a strategy to inflict damages on the enemy. Pakistan’s several top air bases were destroyed, its missiles were shot down and the swarm of drones that Pakistan sent were destroyed.
Modi said, the world is watching Pakistan could not harm us even an inch. Our air bases are fully prepared and operational and our air defence structure is intact. Pakistan had been making fake claims for the last five days about Adampur air base. It is located hardly 100 km from the international border and top fighter jets like Rafale, Sukhoi-30, Mirage and MiG-29 jets are stationed there. Both Lahore city and Sargodha air base come within the striking range of jets stationed at Adampur air base. Sargodha is nearly 295 km away from Adampur.
On May 10, Pakistan air force had claimed that it launched missiles at Adampur air base causing heavy damage. On May 11 night, the Pakistani army spokesperson again claimed that PAF inflicted damages on S-400 defence system stationed in Adampur and Bhuj air bases. All these claims proved to be fake.
The entire world now knows that the Pakistani government and its army do not speak the truth. They only know how to manufacture lies. It is beneath contempt to comment on an army whose spokesperson describes a global terrorist as a moulvi (cleric) and deen ka sipahi (soldier of religion), whose generals lay wreaths and salute slain terrorists at their funeral and which uses video games to claim victories.
By landing at Adampur air base tarmac in an IAF transport aircraft, Modi told the entire world that nobody should remain under the false impression that Pakistan’s words can be trusted. Modi said, all our air bases are intact, our fighter jets are ready, our air defence systems are operational, and if Pakistan resorts to any misadventure, it will face annihilation.
Act of terror will be an act of war : Modi’s clear message
And now, a look at the devastations caused to Pakistan’s defence assets by India. News agency Reuters released pictures of Pakistan’s air bases secured from American private satellite company Maxar Technologies.
The first picture of Pakistan’s Bholari air base, located near Hyderabad, Sindh province, shows how the air force hangar was destroyed in IAF attack on May 10 morning. There are no details of how many Pakistani jets were inside the hangar.
The second satellite picture is of Shahbaz air force in Jacobabad, Sindh province. Pre-attack picture shows its hangar as intact but post-attack picture shows its hangar as completely destroyed. IAF had attacked this air base on May 9 night.
The third proof: IAF had attacked Sukkur air base in Sindh on May 10. Pre-attack picture shows the air base as intact, but post-attack satellite image shows heavy damage caused to the air bases.
Fourth proof: IAF attacked Pakistan’s highly protected Noor Khan air base on May 10 early morning. It is located near Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi and it provides air cover to the capital Islamabad. When IAF attacked, neither its air defence system worked nor its strategic assets sprung into action.
Fifth proof: IAF destroyed Mushaf air base near Sargodha. It is a strategic air base and there are strategic air assets located in that base. On May 10 morning, India attacked this airbase and our missile strafed the runway causing a huge crater.
Modi showed to the world the professional prowess of Indian armed forces, armed with latest technologies in modern day warfare. Questions are being raised by some as to why India agreed to an “understanding” to stop military acting.
I spoke to several defence experts. They said, IAF attack on Sargodha was the trigger point. This attack showed how far Indian missiles can cause havoc with pinpoint accuracy. Pakistan’s nuclear assets have been kept hidden near Sargodha.
The United States realized the gravity of the situation. American leaders know that Modi always walks the talk. Our PM had clearly told US Vice President J.D. Vance that India will attack more fiercely and there would be no limits to it.
US President Donald Trump realized that the conflict is going to escalate into a full-blown nuclear war and any nuclear conflict can cause death of millions of people. Trump himself wrote in his social media post that the US put pressure on Pakistan and conveyed to India that Pakistan was ready to stop firing and asked whether India was ready?
The Indian side replied that our fight is against terror, not against Pakistan. India clearly said, if Pakistan continued to support terror and attack India to protect its terror infrastructure, India would reply “bullets with shells”.
The ground reality is, Pakistan had no other option but to seek American help. Pakistan had no other option but to accept what the US advised. Pakistan may be dancing to China’s tunes even today, but it considers the US as its “mai baap” (guardian).
Narendra Modi gave a clearcut message. He showed a new path to the world on how to fight terrorists. I hope other countries suffering from terrorism will also follow this policy and consider every act of terror as an act of war.
Operation Sindoor : New Modi, New India, New Normal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his hard-hitting address to the nation, has clearly outlined India’s policy towards Pakistan in the coming days and weeks. He announced India’s resolve to launch the biggest war on terrorism, while signifying a clear shift in India’s policies towards its neighbour. He said, “if there is a terror attack on India, a befitting reply will be given..on our terms only…We will not differentiate between the government that is sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism…The world has again seen the ugly face of Pakistani, when top Pakistani army generals came to the funeral of terrorists killed under Operation Sindoor.” Modi also make it clear that Operation Sindoor is not yet over, it has only been halted. “The new normal”, he said, “is India will deal with every major terror act as an act of war and the army would be free to eliminate terrorists, even if they hide in their sanctuaries inside Pakistan”. The aim will be to crush the snake’s hood and defang its poisonous teeth. No territory inside Pakistan will be considered safe for terrorists. Nuclear blackmail to cover the acts of terrorists will not work anymore, Modi said. Clearly, from now on, neither the Line of Control nor the international border will be able to save the terrorists. The Indian armed forces will eliminate all terrorists by breaking all controls that had been placed till now. If any army comes in the path of our armed forces, they will rain hellfire on it, he warned. If Pakistan attacks one Udhampur air base, our air force will destroy several of their air bases. If Pakistan provides air defence cover to terrorists, our armed forces will destroy that air defence. Modi said, “If Pakistn wants to survive, it will have to destroy its terror infrastructure”. In a single speech, Modi conveyed a message to Pakistan at three different levels : military, political and psychological. All terror acts in future will get the same response. Modi also made it clear that there would be no talks on water or trade with Pakistan, nor any talks would take place to normalize relations. The only issues that India can discuss with Pakistan are only two: One, handing over of terrorists to India and Two, return of Pak Occupied Kashmir to India. This is the new resolve of New India. The entire nation stands solidly behind our valiant armed forces in fulfilling that resolve.
Indian and Pak armies : A Sharp Contrast
Today I heard comments of several American defence experts on the India-Pakistan conflict. Almost all of them agreed that the Indian armed forces are quite professional, while the Pakistani army deals mostly in mischievous activity. These experts said, most of the Pakistani generals are busy playing political power games, they carry on with their business, they are engaged in civil governance and do all other activity except doing the work of a professional army. I would like to say, there can be no comparisons between the Indian and Pakistani armies. Indian armed forces are run by trained officers, while the Army Chief of Pakistan incites his army by invoking religion. Our armed forces are transparent and their officers speak the truth, while Pakistani army generals are masters in speaking lies. We have seen this during the five-day-long conflict last week. The world has seen shocking evidence of how Pakistani army generals nurture and train jihadi terrorists. While Indian army works on eliminating terrorists, Pakistani army personnel are experts in killing unarmed, innocent people in cold blood in the presence of their wives, mothers and daughters. Indian army protects the nation’s unity and sovereign integrity. In the last few days, we have seen how our valiant armed forces destroyed drones, rockets and missiles given to Pakistan by China and Turkiye. Our armed forces taught Pakistani army a lesson by striking their air bases using BrahMos missiles. There can be no comparison between the two. India is proud of the valour and professional approach of its armed forces.
Pakistani army’s lies exposed, again
At a time when 11 Pakistani army bases were destroyed, more than 40 Pakistani soldiers and officers died in Operation Sindoor, hundreds of Pakistani drones and missiles were neutralized and more than 140 terrorists were killed by India, Pakistan army is shamelessly claiming its victory by morphing India TV video, using TV war game videos and making false claim about a dreaded terrorist being an Islamic cleric having kids. Hafiz Abdur Rauf, declared a global terrorist by US treasury department, was introduced by Pak army as a moulvi, who led the funeral prayers for terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor. The Pakistani spokesperson claimed that Rauf was a moulvi, a family man, has three daughters and his parents were teachers. The fact: Hafiz Abdur Rauf’s name is still there in US Treasury Department’s press release dated November 24, 2010. He has been named a member and financier of Lashkar-e-Taiba. India TV telecasted Rauf’s video in which he was giving a call for jehad to terrorists. Secondly, even Pakistan army’s DG, ISPR, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry’s father Sultan Bashiruddin was a nuclear engineer who left his job in 1999 and joined Al Qaeda. His father shared chemical, biological and nuclear info with Osama bin Laden and was declared a global terrorist by United Nations and the US in 2001. Thirdly, Pakistan army edited India TV’s live video from five minutes’ duration to only 27 seconds and posted on Pak government’s X handle to show that PAF has shot down an Indian fighter jet. PIB Fact Check said, the video was morphed through editing. The original India TV video showed how our air defence system shot down a Pakistani missile. Fourthly, Pakistan army used Arma-3, a tactical simulation shooter video game to make false claims. This shows the depths to which the desperation of Pakistani army has sunk. I am surprised how Pakistani generals do not even know that even a kid can catch such lies in this hi-tech age. What Pakistani army did was in response to the media briefings that our three directors general of army, air and navy operations addressed to show the losses inflicted on Pakistani air bases.
What forced Pakistan to pause military action ?
With guns, drones and missiles falling silent on the western India-Pakistan border, all eyes are now on the second DGMO-level talks that will take place on Monday evening. The 32 airports across northern and northwestern India that were closed on May 8 due to Indian and Pakistani air strikes, have been reopened on Monday. Srinagar, Chandigarh, Amritsar and all other airports in northern region are now open for civilian flights. In Mumbai Stock Exchange, Sensex recorded a steep rise by 2,925 points, touching 82,430 mark. No night time intrusions by Pakistani drones were reported on Sunday night all along the western border.
On Monday, the director general of air operations Air Marshal A K Bharti told media, “All our military bases, and systems continue to remain fully operational and ready to undertake any future missions should the need arise”. He recited a couplet from Ramcharit Manas “विनय ना मानत जलध जड़ गए तीन दिन बीति। बोले राम सकोप तब भय बिनु होय ना प्रीति’..” (When the sea refused to listen to Lord Ram’s prayer to make way for the vaanar sena to march to Lanka, the Lord became furious and threatened to dry up the sea, saying there can be no love without striking fear in the enemy).
The Air Marshal clarified that India’s main fight was against terrorists, but it was Pakistan which jumped in and attacked India by sending drones, missiles and shells. “Pakistan’s continued hostilities left India with no choice but to retaliate”, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the nation on Monday night at 8 pm.
The question now on everybody’s mind is: why was India’s counter-offensive halted? Why was Pakistani targets not pummelled anymore? Why India agreed to an understanding with Pakistan to halt military operations? On May 9, when tit-for-tat attacks were going on, US Vice President J.D.Vance rang up Prime Minister Modi, who told the American leader that India would reply to bullets with shells (goli ka jawaab goley se diya jayega). The same night, Pakistan attacked 26 locations inside India by sending drones and missiles. India retaliated by attacking all key Pakistani air bases causing big damage. Pakistan’s air defence systems were smashed and Indian missiles reached Chaklala air base near Rawalpindi, where Pakistan’s nuclear power command centre is located. Indian armed forces were given instructions to give a befitting reply to Pakistan.
US intelligence told its President Donald Trump that there were alarming signals that Indian missiles were now targeting Pakistan’s nuclear installations and India has a plan to carry out massive attacks on Pakistan. Donald Trump was told that Pakistani army chief has convened a meeting of Nuclear Command Authority and both India and Pakistan were going to engage in vicious attacks and counter-attacks during the weekend. Trump became active and he asked Vice President J D Vance to speak to both countries to stop escalation. Trump indeed apprehended of use of nuclear weapon as he later said “It was time to stop the current aggression that could have led to the death and destruction of so many, and so much. Millions of good and innocent people could have died!”
In order to bring Pakistan to a halt, Vance spoke to Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen Asim Munir. He then spoke to our NSA Ajit Doval. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stepped in. Rubio told India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar that Pakistan was ready to halt military operations and whether India was ready. Jaishankar told Rubio that the only way for firing to stop on the border was for the DGMOs of both countries to speak on the hotline. Pakistan DGMO’s first request came at 1 pm and our DGMO did not respond. At 3.35 pm, Pakistan DGMO rang up again and spoke to our DGMO Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai. It was decided that a understanding is hereby reached to stop firing and military operations. When this was conveyed to US President, Donald Trump immediately announced it on social media X. Trump gave the impression that a ceasefire has come into effect and it was brokered by the US. But India preferred to name it as an “understanding on DGMO level” only.
Meanwhile, Pakistan told US that it wanted to initiate talks with India to solve the Kashmir issue. When this was conveyed to India, it was clearly conveyed from our side that there was nothing left to talk with Pakistan, and if Pakistan wanted to return Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, then India was willing to talk. It was also conveyed by India that if Pakistan was ready to hand over all wanted terrorists to India, we are ready to talk. There was no other issue left to discuss.
Gen. Asim Munir cornered : Either stop attacks or face defeat
In a swift response, Indian armed forces on early Saturday carried out attacks on eight key Pakistani air bases in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Sialkot and Pasroor radar site. Indian Air Force fighter jets used air-launched precision weapons to inflict maximum damage but ensure minimum collateral damage to civilian population. Army Col. Sofiya Qureshi said, the Pakistani targets included “technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas across the border.”
Earlier, Pakistan Air Force attacked 26 locations including Indian Air Force stations in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj, but these air bases sustained limited damage to equipment and personnel. Describing it as “a reckless move”, the spokesperson said, Pakistan targeted medicare centres and school premises located at IAF air bases in Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur. A high-speed missile launch was also attempted towards Punjab at 1:40 am, said Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.
The army spokesperson said, Pakistan intensified shelling along Line of Control and international border, targeting Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri and Akhnoor. In Rajouri, Additional Deputy Commissioner Raj Kumar Thapa was killed and two of his assistants were critically injured when Pakistani shells fell on his official residence. Several civilians were injured in Pakistani attacks on Ferozepur and Jalandhar.
In Delhi, on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, and all three service chiefs. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Ajit Doval and Pakistani army chief Gen. Asim Munir on ways to de-escalate tensions immediately. India has made it clear that the onus of de-escalation falls first on Pakistan which initiated drone and missile attacks on Indian installations after India’s May 7 air strikes on terror hideouts inside PoK and Pakistan.
In Pakistan, the civilian leadership does not matter much. The onus is now fully on the Pakistani army chief Gen Munir. It is the Pakistani army chief who has to decide when to call off his drone and missile attacks and order a halt to artillery shelling in Jammu & Kashmir. The common people in Pakistan have seen through the fake information being spread by Pakistani army about inflicting losses on Indian army and air force, but on the ground, the situation is quite different. On Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri showed pictures of most of the Indian air force bases intact despite attacks by Pakistan’s kamikaze drones. The cat is now out of the bag. Even China on Saturday appealed to Pakistan to exercise restraint and de-escalate the situation. The ball lies squarely in Pakistan’s court and their army chief has to take the call. Pakistan stands completely isolated and it has not received any support from either the US or China or the Middle East countries.
Pakistan’s propaganda war : fake claims busted
In a swift response, the government of India has debunked all fake claims being made by Pakistani army about the ongoing missile and drone attacks. Pakistan on Saturday claimed that a female Indian Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh has been captured in Kotli in PoK. This was immediately described as fake news by Press Information Bureau of the Govt of India. PIB Fact check immediately responded saying that no Indian female pilot has been captured and the news was fake. Pakistan army and government have been recycling old photos and videos as latest ones about so-called losses to Indian said. Pakistani social media handles are presently hper-active making false claims about Indian losses like Indian Rafale and Sukhoi jets being downed and Indian pilots being captured. Pakistani media has been circulating these falsehoods as gospel truth. Top Pakistani officials and even ministers are busy promoting unverified and doctored content on social media.
On Friday, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri pointed out how Pakistan has been trying to give a communal hue to the ongoing attacks by alleging that India trying to target Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. Misri described this as “deranged fantasy”. He revealed that Pakistani troops shelled a gurdwara in Poonch and some local Sikhs lost their lives in the attacks. Similarly, Pakistani troops fired artillery on a Christian missionary school injuring several students.
Pakistan is fastly losing the battle on the ground with its air defence systems smashed by IAF. This is the reason why it is resorting to a barrage of misinformation to misguide people in India. We should all be careful when we find such claims on social media. Our first step should be to ignore all such posts and we should not circulate or forward these posts in any manner.
India-China Understanding: Much to learn for the West
This year’s Diwali will be a different one for our brave jawans and officers deployed near the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. Nearly 50 per cent of troop disengagement has been completed in Depsang and Demchok by Friday evening, and the Indian Army plans to begin patrolling in coordination with the Chinese army in the two areas by October-end. Talks are going on over issues like ‘buffer zones’ which had been created earlier in the region with high altitude.
The disengagement in Depsang and Demchok will be over by October 28 or 29, and the patrolling from both sides, with prior intimation to avoid face-offs, will begin after mutual verification. Dismantling of temporary posts, sheds, tents and other structures and pullback of troops in Depsang and Demchok to pre-April 2020 position is going on and is being closely monitored both on the ground and from the air by using drones.
In Demchok, Indian troops are moving back towards the west from Charding Nullah, while Chinese army has withdrawn some of its vehicles after dismantling nearly a dozen temporary structures.
Two days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had discussed the border issue and it was decided to resume Special Representative level talks on solving the vexed India-China border dispute. Till last week, nobody could have imagined that troops of both sides would resume patrolling near the friction points in Ladakh so soon, and a tension-free Diwali would be celebrated by our brave jawans.
Prime Minister Modi had been roundly criticized by our opposition leaders for the last two years over the Ladakh border tension issue. Opposition leaders had been alleging that China has occupied a large part of our territory in Ladakh and Modi has “surrendered” before the Chinese. Modi never replied, nor got provoked over these allegations.
Modi preferred to work silently, used diplomatic techniques and displayed military power. He was neither in awe of the Chinese, nor did he bow down. I think Modi might have used the good offices of his friend Russian President Vladimir Putin for improving relations with China. It suits Putin if India and China join hands, and appear to stand with Russia.
Putin can then claim before the West that Russia is now a major power that is not isolated from the rest of the world. Those who have been making fun of Modi and asking questions on when he would show his “red eyes” at China, will now have red eyes.
If India-China relations improve, it will be a pain in the neck for Rahul Gandhi. Rahul will then realize that he made a mistake in trusting the Chinese more rather than believing in Modi’s claim.
The world is today abuzz with talks about the rapprochment between India and China and how the border issue in Ladakh was resolved through bilateral talks. This can be shown as an example to the European Union and other Western powers on how to bring an end to the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Middle East.
Determined India, China’s compulsion : Deal done
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday put their seal of approval on the agreement between India and China on resuming patrolling near the friction points in eastern Ladakh. The two leaders also decided to resume Special Representative level talks to iron the vexed India-China boundary dispute. These talks have not taken place since 2019, when tension flared up in Dokalam and Ladakh. Both the leaders decided to take relations forward from a “strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges.”
The immediate outcome of the bilateral meeting could be that India would soon reopen its doors for Chinese investment, which Xi Jinping needs badly. But the pace of reopening investment shall depend on what happens on the ground in Ladakh and whether Chinese army implements the agreement sincerely. It was also decided in Wednesday’s summit meeting that India and China’s special representatives will discuss resuming Mansarovar pilgrim yatra.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and India’s Sherpa at BRICS Dammu Ravi were present with PM Modi at the meeting, while the Chinese President was assisted by Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Communist Party secretary Cai Qi.
Before the meeting began, Prime Minister Modi said, “mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual sensitivities” were essential for moving forward in bilateral relations. President Xi said, both India and China were two big economic powers and they should present an example of friendship to the rest of the world. Jinping said, both India and China want a multi-polar world and end Western hegemony.
The meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi is an important one and it has ended five years of tense deadlock. One needs to revisit the background in which India-China friendly relations went on a downward spiral because of tension near LAC.
In Dokalam near the Bhutan border, when Chinese troops confronted the Indian army, our brave jawans stood their ground for 72 days and did not allow the Chinese troops to move an inch forward. China again broke mutual trust, when its army ignited tension in Ladakh. It built big infrastructures on its side of the border which posed a security risk for India. India became active on a war footing, built roads, bridges and tunnels near the border at breakneck speed and under PM Modi’s instructions, made mirror deployment of its troops to match Chinese buildup. It was then that the Chinese strategists realized that this was a new India, which was not going to be browbeaten.
In the last three years, Chinese army did not make any big transgression, and instead, sent feelers for resumption of trade and investment, even as talks on reducing border tension was going on. The downslide in investment and trade also affected Indian industrial sectors like electronics, pharma and chemicals, which were dependent on China for procuring raw materials.
Despite facing losses, India stood its ground saying that until and unless there is agreement on the border standoff, talks on other issues cannot be reopened. India did not bow despite economic losses. Ultimately, China understood and Indian diplomacy succeeded.
After several months of talks, China agreed for patrolling deal to be followed by disengagement. By reaching a deal, India and China have told the rest of the world that they were moving forward to normalize relations. Prime Minister Modi’s personal friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin helped in bringing about agreement.
Though such intervention are never admitted officially, one point is clear: India has told the world that it shall never compromise with its self-respect in any situation. This was underlined by PM Modi at Wednesday’s bilateral, when he said that peace and stability on the border was a top priority for both countries, but, in the next sentence, he said, that “mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensibilities” were of essence for improving relations. Modi’s message is clear: India wants good relations with its neighbours, but it will never compromise on the issue of self-respect.
India-China Bhai Bhai: Welcome, but be careful
A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was due to have a first bilateral meeting in five years with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan(Russia), a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing confirmed that India and China have “reached a solution on relevant matters” (in eastern Laddakh). He said, China would work with India to implement it, but declined to provide details.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had announced on Monday that both the countries have agreed on patrolling arrangements following negotiations to end the four-year-long standoff. Misri expressed hope that this may lead to eventual disengagement of armies deployed on both sides of Line of Actual Control and eventually a resolution of disputes that arose in 2020.
Details of the agreement that are unofficially available show that Indian and Chinese troops can now patrol within their borders in Depsang Plains and Demchok. Troops of both countries can patrol their areas twice a month. To avoid any chance of confrontation, each patrolling team on both sides will not have more than 15 soldiers. Troops of both countries can patrol by staying 200-300 metres away from LAC.
Under the agreement, Indian and Chinese army commanders will coordinate between each other before sending their patrolling parties. The objective is to avoid recurrence of confrontation that had taken place in Galwan valley in May 2020, when 20 Indian soldiers were martyred and a large number of Chinese troops were killed. In July, 2020, both armies had disengaged in Galwan and Hot Springs, and in 2021, they had withdrawn their troops in Gogra and Pangong Tso. But both troops are still locked in a close confrontation for the last four years in Depsang Plains and Demchok border points. Now, the agreement also covers both these areas.
In Depsang, Indian troops can patrol upto Point 10 and Point 13, which had come to a standstill during the last four years. Chinese army will withdraw its troops from Depsang and dismantle its sctructures.
According to the agreement, troops of both countries will withdraw from LAC during winter, and for better coordination, commanders of both sides will have meetings every month. Though official details are not available, one must understand the broad meaning behind this agreement.
One, Chinese troops will return from those areas they had occupied four years ago, and the status quo situation of April, 2020, will be restored. A plan has been prepared for resolving the border standoff that has created tension. Two, the adverse effects on India-China bilateral trade that had taken place following the border standoff, will now end in a phased manner. There are many industrial sectors in India that are dependent on raw material procurement from China. These sectors can now heave a sigh of relief. Three, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been frequently raising the China border issue at his public meetings, while AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi had been alleging that Chinese troops have occupied Indian territory. These leaders will now lose an issue that they have been raising frequently. Four, it seems that Russian President Vladimir Putin played an important role behind the scenes to bring about a reduction in tension between Modi’s India and Jinping’s China. India and China are the founder members of BRICS group. By ending tension on the border, they have conveyed an important message to those parts of the world which are facing conflicts. For example, Ukraine and Middle East.
In his bilateral meeting with President Putin on Tuesday, Modi stressed on the point that “war cannot be a solution for any dispute and solution can be arrived at only through negotiations”.
India-Pak relations: Terrorism has to stop for normalcy
The dastardly terror attack on innocent labourers within 100 hours of a new National Conference government being sworn in Jammu & Kashmir has come as a shock to people both in the Valley and the rest of the country. Among those killed were labourers from Bihar, MP and Punjab who were gunned down by Pakistan-backed terrorists, during dinnertime at a campsite of a tunnel construction company in Ganderbal district. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba claimed responsibility. Among those killed was a Kashmiri doctor Dr Shahnawaz Dar, who was supposed to return home for the post-wedding function of his daughter.
Architectural designer Shashi Bhushan Abrol also fell to the bullets of terrorists. Lt. Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha and Home Minister Amit Shah have asked security forces to track down and eliminate the perpetrators of this dastardly attack. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, people of J&K have given their reply to terrorists by taking part in elections in large numbers and they would never allow any halt in the pace of progress. National Conference leader Dr Farooq Adullah said, Pakistan will have to face consequences if it continues with such terror attacks. Already, National Investigation Agency has begun its probe and security has been strengthened near all infrastructure projects in the Valley. Pakistan-based Sajjad Gul, the chief of TRF, is said to be the brain behind this terror attack. During the last one year, terrorists had been carrying out sporadic attacks against labourers from Bihar and UP in J&K.
In June this year, they had killed nine persons after attacking a bus, but this was a major attack, after 12 years, when a migrant labourers’ camp at a tunnel project, which will link Srinagar with Leh, was targeted. Clearly, it shows Pakistan’s frustration over the victory of democracy in Jammu & Kashmir, where both Lok Sabha and assembly elections were held peacefully this year and a large number of voters participated. Pakistan wants to stop the pace of work that is going on railway, roads, bridges and tunnels, and in order to achieve this, it has asked the terrorists to take out soft targets like migrant labouers. Pakistan will have to pay for its pernicious act. It was hardly three days ago when Pakistan Muslim League (N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif met Indian mediapersons and spoke about the need for burying the past and forging ffriendship with India. Nawaz Sharif was explaining how former PM Imran Khan followed anti-India policies which have brought about a stalemate in bilateral relations. Nawaz Sharif must understand one key point: Until and unless the Pakistan army stops sending terrorists to India, and its spy agency ISI discontinue giving training and funds to terrorists, relations between India and Pakistan can never become normal.