We are with you on anti-terror: US

“Ambassador Rice reiterated our expectation that Pakistan take effective action to combat and delegitimise United Nations-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, and their affiliates,” Spokesperson of National Security Council Ned Price said. In the telephonic conversation with Doval, the first after Uri-terrorist attack, Susan strongly condemned the September 18 cross-border attack on the Indian Army Brigade headquarters and offered condolences to the victims and their families. “He affirmed President Obama’s commitment to redouble our efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorism throughout the world,” Price said. “Ambassador Rice discussed our shared commitment with India to pursue regional peace and stability and pledged to deepen collaboration on counter-terrorism matters including on UN terrorist designations,” Price added.

Meanwhile, top defence experts on Thursday termed the ‘surgical strikes’ on terror launch pads across the Line of Control in PoK as an “operational necessity” and said those were necessitated as the “levels of tolerance” were crossed. Former top guns of the military lauded the bravery and calibrated approach of the Indian security forces as also the government for allowing the military to carry out the task and said “a long pending debt has been paid back today”. They justified the strikes, saying the forces had entered into Indian territory occupied by Pakistan. “I am very pleased that the government is letting the Army do what it needs to do. Let Pakistani military know that this is what we have done and we will continue to do it (if) they do not behave themselves. We need a big heart for doing this. “We have to congratulate the intelligence sources for providing accurate information on whereabouts of militants. We need to compliment the government for giving a free hand to the military. So, obviously, government had given a clean action chit to the military who launched a surgical strike with good dividend,” former DG Infantry Lt Gen S Prasad said. Noting that the forces adopted a “very calibrated approach” in their strikes, he said this is how the Indian government should react by leaving the military to do the job. Former RAW chief C D Sahay said the strikes had to happen and were “inescapable”, contending these should not be related to the Pathankot or Uri attacks as there has been a long history of trans-border infiltration. He lauded India for dealing with such matters with a mature approach while maintaining calm.

Various leaders including Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and others supported and vowed to stand with the Army’s operation in the surgical strike.

National Capital territory Chief Minister supported the surgical strikes conducted by Indian Army against the terrorists’ launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) on Wednesday. In a tweet, Mr Kejriwal said, ‘’Bharat Mata ki Jai. Entire nation is with Indian Army (Poora desh bharatiya sena ke saath hai).’’

Earlier in the day, Director General of Military Operations Gen Ranveer Singh said that he had informed his Pakistani counterpart about the Army’s strikes against the terrorists, underlining to them that they will not be allowed to cause any harm to the Indian citizens. The operation was aimed at only terrorists and the Army had no intention to continue it, but it was fully prepared for any eventuality, Gen Singh said. Meanwhile, in Jammu, Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh said India is proud of its Army. The Army is protecting our country and “we are proud of our armed forces,” he told the media. He said a series of meetings is underway to evaluate the situation on the ground. 

In her message, the Congress President Sonia Gandhi said a “strong message” has been sent with the surgical strikes by Army against terror bases across the Line of Control (LoC) and insisted that Pakistan bears a “great responsibility” in the continuing cross-border attacks in India. Offering the party’s support to the government in the battle against terror, Gandhi said in a statement that “this is a strong message that conveys our country’s resolve to prevent further infiltration and attacks on our security forces and our people”.