The 'mediation' by the United States from behind the scene on the diplomatic track appears to be once again working, which calls on both Delhi and Islamabad to show restraint and pull back from a military confrontation, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The Pakistani Army on Friday rejected a United States-led inquiry report into a cross-border North Atlantic Treaty Organisation air strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November, saying it is "short on facts." "The Pakistan Army does not agree with the findings of the US/NATO inquiry as is being reported in the media. The inquiry report is short on facts," chief military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said.
The BAT generally comprises special forces personnel of the Pakistani Army and terrorists.
The home minister said people must have faith in security forces who are foiling the evil designs of enemies.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, an accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has been extradited to India from the US. Former home secretaries believe he will be convicted and could face the death penalty. Rana was an associate of David Coleman Headley, who played a key role in the attacks. The extradition is seen as a significant achievement for India and a message to terrorists that they will face justice. Rana's testimony is expected to provide valuable information about the planning and execution of the attacks.
The Army chief is likely to visit Jammu and discuss the recent and ongoing counter-terrorist operations and the casualties that have been suffered in the recent terror attacks there, defence sources said.
The dastardly dimensions of the attack are gradually sinking in even as the Government of India announced its immediate diplomatic and other retaliatory measures. It is generally expected to be followed up with punitive military action across the LoC, sooner than later, observes Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
'India enjoys conventional superiority, but nuclear deterrence imposes clear boundaries.'
This is the second ceasefire violation by Pakistan in as many days.
'We need to raise the costs and consequences for Pakistan. It is long overdue. Our initial surgical strike was effective for about six months. Then, the Balakot strike provided a deterrent for perhaps two to three years. But we cannot operate under the assumption that such limited responses will suffice for decades to come.'
A junior commissioned officer was killed when Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire on the Line of Control in Uri sector of north Kashmir's Baramulla district on Monday morning.
Accusing the Pakistani Army and the Rangers of facilitating infiltration, Border Security Force chief Raman Srivastava said on Tuesday that the Indian Army and the BSF have been alerted along the border to foil attempts by a large number of militants waiting at different launching pads to cross over.
Pakistani army targeted Indian military positions along the Line of Control in Poonch area of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, in yet another ceasefire violation.
'It is ensured that no adversaries or people who oppose Tahawwur Rana's philosophy are housed in the same ward or jail.' 'Additionally, it is ensured that he does not have any prior contacts within that jail.' 'So, the lodgment of such a high-profile prisoner is done very carefully.'
The DGP, along with additional director general of police (law and order) Vijay Kumar and Jammu zone additional director general of police Anand Jain, visited Jammu-based White Knight Corps and interacted with General Officer Commanding Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva, the army said.
He went on to say that even though this has not been discussed, he is going to 'increase trade substantially with both of these great Nations.'
One suspected Pakistani terrorist and an Army soldier were killed in a gunfight during an ongoing search operation in a remote village in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.
Khan's detention was first reported by BBC Urdu, which said the officer had been serving in the Regulation Directorate of the General Headquarters for two years and went missing one-and-a-half months ago.
The military, which has accused the Taliban of violating the accord by abducting and killing civilians and security personnel, said it is awaiting instructions from the government for launching a full-fledged operation in the region located 160 km from Islamabad.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has accused the army, which covertly supports the 2008 Mumbai attacks perpetrator Lashkar-e-Tayiba, of playing a double game in the ongoing war on terror, and an "abundance of evidence backs him up," Bruce Riedel, a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, has said.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, was brought to India on Thursday after being "successfully extradited " from the US, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said. The 64-year-old Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin landed in Delhi in a special plane on Thursday evening, ending days of speculation of when and how he will be extradited, officials said. The NIA said in a statement that it had secured the successful extradition after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring to justice the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem that claimed 166 lives. Rana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, and operatives of designated terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators, to carry out the the three-day terror siege of India's financial capital.
Ten rockets were fired at the military camp in North Waziristan on Thursday, but there has been no information on the casualties, official sources told the Daily Times.
Khanduri, retired Indian Army Major General, told rediff.com, "Such incidents should not be taken lightly. Doing so, the hostile country across the border will have a tendency to repeat such a ghastly incident. They will then go into denial mode and wash their hands off as it happened during the meeting between Indian foreign secretary and Pakistan high commissioner in India when the latter flatly denied any knowledge about it."
A huge cache of arms and ammunition and 'war-like stores', including AK-74 rifles, Pakistani-origin hand grenades and balloons with 'I Love Pakistan' markings, were recovered along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri Sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, an Army officer said on Friday.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has undergone a significant transformation, evolving from hit-and-run attacks to carrying out sophisticated operations with tactical precision. The group's tactics and targets have become increasingly audacious, targeting security forces, Chinese nationals, and innocent civilians. Experts attribute the BLA's evolution to various factors, including the leadership of Bashir Zeb, the group's growing intelligence network, and its exploitation of the grievances of the Baloch people. The BLA's actions are a cause for concern, as the group's sophisticated attacks pose a major challenge to security forces.
On Thursday, October 27, 2022, the Indian Army hosted Shaurya Diwas at the old airfield in Srinagar (Budgam airfield) to mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the 1 Sikh Regiment in 1947 to protect Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistani raiders.
The weekend army reshuffle is a clear sign that Musharraf will not step down as army chief in December, say analysts.
After September 11, the Pakistani army had lost its credibility in the international community mainly because of its well-established relationship with the extremists groups, said Steve Coll, a Pultizer prize-winning American journalist, who has written several investigative stories on Kashmir.
Insisting that the Pakistani Army is supportive of a dialogue with India, former Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should visit his country to kickstart the peace process.
The Pakistani army has denied reports that two Indian soldiers were killed in a border clash between the two armies in the Mendhar sector at the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu region on Tuesday.
The gunfight broke out when a joint security party of the Army and police, acting on a tip-off, launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Naidgham area in the Chhatroo belt, they added.
All Pakistani moves towards peace will be seen as tactical compromises, to be abandoned when the situation changes, observes Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
'Tehran senses that the Modi government is inexorably gravitating toward the US-Israeli-Saudi axis, jettisoning India's traditional independent Gulf policies,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The defence ministry spokesman refused to confirm or deny any such operation.
Army has refused to make public nder RTI information on soldiers whose bodies were mutilated n skirmishes with Pakistani Army or infiltrators along the ine of Control during the last five years even though such etails have been given by Defence Minister in Rajya Sabha.
Wing Commander Pratap Marathe's story is one of dedication, bravery, and humour, a shining example of the spirit of the Indian Air Force. Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd) salutes Wing Commander Marathe who passed into the ages last week.
Several experts also blame Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, for selling technology for personal gain.
In the gun battle, one terrorist identified as Sadam Hussain Mir, a resident of Chatripora Shopian, belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen, was killed, the official said.
Even as Nawaz Sharif struck a deal with United States President Bill Clinton in July, 1999, to end the Kargil conflict with India, the then premier believed that the powerful Pakistani army would 'get' him for brokering a truce.
