New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Poetry always has powerful message - either in peace time or at the time of conflicts and war.
It is the poetry that helps to distract one from the rigours of life and also can draw people into the mesmerising world of letters.
Soldiers and armed forces personnel can also get emotive and cannot stay aloof from actions and perhaps 'in actions' happening around.
It is with this spirit perhaps - Indian Army's official Twitter handle from Additional Directorate General of Public Information, Ministry of Defence, passed on a few poetic lines - "Aaj Sindhu ne Vish ugla hae, Laharon ka Youvan machla hae...(Today the river is being malicious and the waves have moved aggressively).
These words came hours after Indian Air Force executed a well planned aerial strike destroying a large terror camp at Balakot in Pakistan in an operation seen as the first ever cross border exercise by Indian Armed Forces in last five decades.
Was it also a commentary on India's defence and foreign policy - which has emerged as more muscular and pro-active in recent times.
Taken from the master piece 'Toofano Ki Oar' (meaning 'Towards the Storms') penned Shivmangal Singh Suman -- the Tweet also had the line - "Toofanon ki aur ghuma do naavik nij patvaar' ---- Please do steer the boat towards the storm, to imply that the 'storm' be made use to built up the courage in support of righteousness and in battle against the evil.
Echoing similar sentiment, on Wednesday yet again the Twitter handle went cracking putting out illustrious poetic lines -- "Sarhad hae mahfooz hamari, apne veer jawano se (The country's border is safe and sound; and all thanks to our brave soldiers).
"....Likhte hae itihas naya nit, jo apne balidan sey (It is these valiant armed personnel who pen history on daily basis with their sacrifices)".
The underlining missive perhaps being 'peace' always carry more meaning when one is a position of strength and is capable to win.
Poems, they rightly say always re-equip us with the new imagery.
In boost to India's diplomacy: China, Russia talk on 'breeding ground' of terror
Wuzhen, (China), Feb 27 (UNI) In a major boost to India's ongoing and persistent diplomatic efforts, China and Russia on Wednesday agreed to Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's argument that terrorism challenge today required a global level cooperation.
In what seen as a 'gain and endorsement of its stance' in strategic parlance, the Joint Statement issued at the end of RIC Foreign Ministers meeting here said that "the common development and close cooperation of the three countries - Russia, India and China - is conducive for world peace and stability and promoting global growth".
"We agreed to jointly combat all forms terrorism through closer policy coordination and it is especially important to eradicate the breeding grounds of terrorism and extremism," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said summing up the discussions on terrorism.
The mention of the "breeding grounds" of terrorism is largely seen as endorsement of India's stance specially in the backdrop of the February 14 Pulwama terrorist attack and the second surgical strike carried out by Indian Air Force on Tuesday. India had carried a surgical strike in 2016 after Uri attack too.
For her part, Ms Swaraj at the end of the meeting said, "We have agreed that the UN-led Global Counter Terrorism mechanism be set up and it was also agreed that India-proposed Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism be also finalised and adopted at the earliest".
The Joint Statement said the three foreign ministers "reiterated the importance they attached to the Russia-India-China trilateral format as a platform to foster closer dialogue and practical cooperation in identified areas".
"As countries with significant international and regional influence, the three countries stand ready to expand mutual consultations and cooperation on international and regional issues of mutual interest in the spirit of mutual respect, respect for sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, unity, mutual understanding and trust".
"The common development and close cooperation of the three countries is conducive for world peace and stability and promoting global growth," it said.
The RIC statement comes close on the heels of the US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo taking to its Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and urging that Islamabad should take meaningful action against terror groups.
"I spoke to Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi to underscore the priority of de-escalating current tensions by military action, and the urgency of Pakistan taking meaningful action against terrorist groups operating in its soil," Mr Pompeo said in a statement in Washington.
India on Tuesday bombed and destroyed JeM's biggest training camp in Balakot in a first major cross border exercise in last five decades in which "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders were eliminated.However at the media briefing, the Chinese foreign minister took a cautious lie and said "....we believe that Pakistan has always been opposed to terrorism".
He, nevertheless maintained: "China, Russia and India have reaffirmed our strong opposition to terrorism in various forms and manifestations".
Answering a question on whether there were differences between India and China, Ms Swaraj said
"As far as the joint strategy is concerned, you just heard foreign minister Wang Yi's speech. What he said during his concluding statement, he reiterated here and he said that we would cooperate on eradicating the breeding grounds of terrorism".
"This is not only a common strategy for the three of us, but it is resolution for the three of us. Wang Yi said this during his concluding remarks and reiterated it here," Ms Swaraj emphasised.
"Terrorism is a threat to the humanity that is why not only for our three countries, we also need a global strategy. We need global cooperation," she said.
"Regarding Pulwama, I just told you both during my bilateral meeting with Wang Yi and also in the trilateral platform I strongly put forth India's perspective," she said.
In her speech at the RIC Ministers meet, External Affairs Minister assured the international community that India "does not wish to see" further escalation of the situation.
"Excellencies, this was not a military operation, no military installations were targeted. The limited objective of the preemptive strike was to act decisively against terrorist infrastructure of JeM. India doesn't wish to see further escalation of the situation. India continues to act with responsibility and restraint," she said.
She said it was only after Pakistan's 'continuing refusal' to acknowledge the role of Jaish-e-Mohammad that the Government of India decided to take preemptive action.
"....the target was selected and the largest terror camp in order to avoid civilian casualties," she said.
PAK OFFICIAL-SUMMONED
India has right to take firm action to protect national security, Pak deputy envoy told
New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Pakistan was 'demarched' categorically on its act of aggression against India on Wednesday.
The government also remained firm about its resolve to take 'firm and decisive action' to protect national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity and categorically told Pakistan that instead of taking credible action against terrorists, Islamabad has only acted with 'aggression' against India.
"It was clearly conveyed that India reserves the right to take firm and decisive action to protect its national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity against any act of aggression or cross-border terrorism," a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said after Pak Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah was summoned here.
"The Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan was summoned this afternoon by MEA to lodge a strong protest at the unprovoked act of aggression by Pakistan against India earlier today, including by violation of the Indian air space by Pakistan Air Force and targeting of Indian military posts," the statement said.
It maintained clearly that such actions were "in contrast" to the India’s non-military anti-terror pre-emptive strike at a JeM terrorist camp in Balakot on February 26.
"It is unfortunate that instead of fulfilling its international obligation and bilateral commitment to take credible action against terrorist entities and individuals operating from its soil, Pakistan has acted with aggression against India," the deputy envoy was conveyed.
India also strongly 'objected' to Pakistan’s "vulgar display of an injured personnel" of the Indian Air Force in violation of all norms of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention.
"It was made clear that Pakistan would be well advised to ensure that no harm comes to the Indian defence personnel in its custody. India also expects his immediate and safe return," the statement said."Regret was expressed at continuing denial by Pakistan’s political and military leadership at the presence of terrorist infrastructure in territories under its control. A dossier was handed over to Pakistan side with specific details of JeM complicity in Pulwama terror attack," it said.
The Pak deputy High Commissioner was also told about the presence of JeM terror camps and its leadership in Pakistan.
"It was conveyed that India expects Pakistan to take immediate and verifiable action against terrorism emanating from territories under its control," the statement said.
Earlier, MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar told reporters: "India had informed about Counter-Terrorism (CT) action it took yesterday against a training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pakistan based on credible evidence that JeM intended to launch more attacks."
He said, against India's Counter Terrorism Action, Pakistan "responded this morning" by using its Air Force to target military installations on the Indian side.
"Due to our high state of readiness and alertness, Pakistan’s attempts were foiled successfully," he said.
However, while one MiG 21 was lost, pilot of Air Force has also gone 'missing in action'.
India is 'ascertaining' the claims made by Pakistan through unofficial channels about the capture of the pilot, he said.
Meanwhile, according to media reports, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has pressed for peace
and said "all wars are miscalculated and no one knows where they lead to".
In Islamabad, Pakistan’s foreign office also summoned India’s Acting High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia earlier in the day.
'Pak is not your enemy' - Imran Khan's cricketing friend Wasim Akram tells Indians
New Delhi/Islamabad, Feb 28 After Pakistan made a failed attempt to target India's military installations and got a strong rebuttal from New Delhi, number of Pakistani celebrities and prominent citizens too have now started coming forward pushing the cause of peace.
"With my heavy heart I appeal to yours, India, Pakistan is not your enemy....," came in a tweet late Wednesday night from cricket legend Wasim Akram, who used to be hailed once as 'Sultan of Swing' deliveries.
"Your enemy is our enemy," he tried to make a common cause with Indians and went onto write-
"How much more blood needs to be spilled before we realise we are both fighting the same battle.
We need brothers in arm if we want to beat this war on terror".
The tweet from Akram, also a dedicated lieutenant of senior cricket star and present Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, had the hashtags ' #TogetherWeWin' and ' #NoToWar'.
Author and daughter of late Pakistani politician Murtaza Bhutto, Fatima Bhutto in an Op-Ed for 'The New York Times' also made a cause for peace and urged the Pakistani government to release captured Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan.
"I and many other young Pakistanis have called upon our country to release the captured Indian pilot as a gesture of our commitment to peace, humanity and dignity. We have spent a lifetime at war. I do not want to see Pakistani soldiers die. I do not want to see Indian soldiers die. We cannot be a subcontinent of orphans. My generation of Pakistanis have fought for the right to speak, and we are not afraid to lend our voices to that most righteous cause: peace."
In her article, she also pointed out: "I have never seen my country (Pakistan) at peace with its neighbor (India). But never before have I seen a war played out between two nuclear-armed states with Twitter accounts".
On Wednesday, Pakistan Prime Minister Mr Khan in a televised address said - "If this (on going tension) escalates, things will no longer be in my control or in (Indian PM) Narendra Modi's".
In a strong statement after Pak Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah was summoned,
the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi said - "It was clearly conveyed (to Pakistan) that India reserves the right to take firm and decisive action to protect its national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity against any act of aggression or cross-border terrorism".
Advisor to Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan on political affairs, Naeemul Haque also tweeted saying: "India must not commit the mistake of rejecting PM Imran Khan offer of talks. Overwhelming public opinion in both countries seems to be in its favour".
"The future of 1.5 billion people is directly related to peace. When there is peace the people can prosper," he tried to reason.
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