‘Decide time, target, mode’: PM gives armed forces ‘complete freedom’ for retaliation
PM Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting with the top military brass and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as India mulls options to punish those behind the April 22 Pahalgam attack, the worst terror strike on civilians in India since the 26/11 Mumbai carnage.
"atankiyo ki bachi zameen.....
"It is time to destroy the remaining (left over) land of the terrorists," PM had said at a rally in Bihar.
During his "Mann Ki Baat" address on Sunday, the Prime Minister reiterated that the "perpetrators and conspirators" of the Pahalgam attack will be "served with the harshest response".
"The whole world stands with 140 crore Indians in our fight against terrorism. I once again assure the affected families that they will get justice, and justice will be done".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday granted the Indian Armed Forces "complete operational freedom" to respond to the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam which killed 26 civilians last week, government sources told India Today TV.
The decision came during a high-level meeting convened by the Prime Minister at his residence in New Delhi.
The 90-minute meeting was attended by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the three service chiefs — Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh.
The Prime Minister reiterated that delivering a "crushing blow" to terrorism remained a matter of national resolve.
He also expressed complete confidence in the capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces and told senior defence leadership they have "full operational freedom" to determine the mode, targets, and timing of any military response, sources said.
The meeting came a day ahead of the PM-chaired Cabinet Committee on Security, the government's highest decision-making body on national security matters, is scheduled to meet.
Ranath Singh, on Monday, briefed PM Modi on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir as top defence officials mulled options to punish those behind the April 22 attack, the worst terror strike on civilians in India since the 26/11 Mumbai carnage.
Launching a diplomatic offensive against Pakistan after the Pahalgam carnage, India announced a series of punitive measures, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down the only operation land border crossing at Attari and suspending all visas issued to Pakistani nationals.
Islamabad also shut its airspace to Indian airliners and suspended all trade with New Delhi.
Former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif advised incumbent Prime Minister and his brother Shahbaz Sharif, to choose 'diplomacy over conflict' with India following the Pahalgam attack.
This comes amid Pakistan's panic after India's crackdown and suspension of the Indus Water Treaty.
Shahbaz Sharif perhaps at the instance of political and defence associates attempted to present a false narrative about the Pahalgam terror attack to Nawaz Sharif. Pakistan's endorsement of the attack and
failure to condemn it have been noted.
Even in Pakistan, experts feel "suspension: of the IWT will be more effective with long term consequences.
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