Prepare for all eventualities, Pak PM Imran Khan to citizens after IAF strikes Jaish camp across LoC

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Updated: Apr 19, 2020 15:02 IST

Pakistan’s national security committee on Tuesday condemned the Indian Air Force’s strikes at a Jaish-e-Muhammed terror camp across the Line of Control. The national security committee, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, said Pakistan “shall respond at the time and place of its choosing”.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan directed the armed forces and the people of Pakistan to remain prepared for all eventualities. A statement said Imran Khan has decided to engage with global leadership “expose irresponsible Indian policy” in the region.

A special meeting of the National Security Committee was held at the Pakistan PM’s office. The meeting was attended by ministers of foreign affairs, defence, finance, chairman of joint chiefs of staff and other senior officials.

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Watch: Why Pakistan is unlikely to retaliate to India’s ‘pre-emptive strike’

The national security panel alleged that the Indian government has “resorted to a self serving, reckless and fictitious claim.” Pakistan also claimed that the air strikes were being carried out in view of the general elections in India and put “regional stability and peace at risk”.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said that “better sense” should prevail in India and said his country “holds the right to proper response” to what he termed a “grave aggression”.

“I will term it a grave aggression…It is a violation of the Line of Control. Pakistan holds the right to self defence and proper response,” said Qureshi, according to a video statement posted by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the ruling party of the country.

The IAF carried out the strikes at terror camp deep across the LoC at the biggest training centre of Jaish-e-Mohammed at Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The IAF used Mirage 2000 jets to strike at the terror camp in the highly rugged and mountainous region. Reports said 200-300 terrorists were killed in the IAF operation.

The PTI, the party headed by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, said in another Twitter post that “Qureshi warned India not to challenge Pakistan” saying “Pakistan is fully prepared to respond to any misadventure.”

In a TV interview, Qureshi said there is section in India which “is trying to disturb the peace in the region” to serve its own political end. “Indian government is in dire need of winning the upcoming elections, selfish enough, they are willing to create unrest in the entire region. Pakistan will use all international forums to expose India while being ready to retaliate to any aggression,” PTI’s official handle quoted Qureshi as saying.

Qureshi had called an “emergency meeting” after India carried out air strikes across the LoC and destroyed terror camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Early Tuesday morning, the Indian Air Force Indian forces carried out a strike at the biggest camp of the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said hours after IAF dropped 1,000 pound bombs in a thickly-forested hilltop that has eliminated a large number of terrorists.

The IAF air strike came less than two week after a terror attack in Pulwama killed 40 CRPF troopers. The Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed that attack.