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Pre-Emptive Strikes- A Fitting Response To PulwamaFebruary 27, 2019 Commentaries

The Indian air force conducted a well-directed air operation across the LoC on Jaish-e-

Mohammad (JeM) terror camps in Balakot, Chakothi and Muza�arabad in the early hours of

February 26, 2019. India’s Foreign Secretary V K Gokhale, in a press conference, dwelt on the

Balakot strike and said that in this operation, “a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers,

senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for �dayeen action were

eliminated”.

He reiterated the Indian resolve “to take all necessary measures to �ght the menace of

terrorism” and called this a “non-military pre-emptive action” which was “speci�cally targeted

at the JeM camp”. The attacks were conducted with the help of the IAF’s 12 mirage 2000

aircraft, on the three speci�c targets, nearly 300 militants were killed.

This precise operation was India’s response to the Pulwama suicide attack on February 14,

2019, that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel. It was claimed by Pak-based Jaish-e-

Mohammad, following which there was a national furore in India about Pakistan’s unrepentant

advocacy of terror against India. Even when India was mourning its dead, the reactions coming

in from Pakistan smacked of insensitivity and indi�erence as there was a brazen denial of any

Pakistani hand in the act. Despite Jaish’s open claim, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had

sadly asked for ‘credible evidence’ to take action against this terrorist out�t.

There was a national consensus in India to respond to Pulwama attack in a �rm and decisive

manner. All political parties came together after the incident endorsing the government’s

decision to prepare an appropriate response, to convey India’s sense of anger and frustration

at Pakistan’s continued sponsorship of terror in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

While Indians are now hailing the Balakot operation as ‘Surgical Strike 2.0’, Pakistani reaction

has been one of surprise and denial; much like the surgical strike following the heinous terror

attacks in Uri. The Pak army spokesperson, Director General, Inter Services Public Relations

(ISPR), tried his best to put up a brave front through his tweets that the attack was repulsed by

Pakistan Air Force. However, foreign media organizations in operating Pakistan accepted the

Indian air strikes in Balakot, Chakoti and Muza�arabad. The BBC Urdu news was the �rst to talk

to some residents from an area near Balakot, who con�rmed the attacks.

The brie�ng by Pakistan’s DG, ISPR, however,con�rmed that Indian formations moved in three

directions—the �rst one towards Bahawalpur, the second one towards Sialkot and the third

one, the ‘heaviest’ of the formations, towards Muza�arabad. The third formation, according to

him, was challenged by Pak air force forcing the Indian aircraft to release the payload (carrying

four bombs) which followed its trajectory and fell in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtun Khwa (KPK)

province.

While it is natural for Pakistan military to tailor its narrative to suit domestic audience, it was

forced, unlike in the case of the Uri strike, to acknowledge the attack. The operation con�rms

the operational capability of the Indian security forces to conduct ‘non-military pre-emptive

strikes’ to potentially deter Pak intelligence’s e�orts to raise terror launch-pads in areas under

its control, close to Line of Control (LoC) and disrupt peace in the Indian state of Jammu and

Kashmir. The operation also called the blu� of Pakistan military’s operational readiness on the

one hand and their threat of nuclear escalation on the other.

Post-Pulwama, the international community’s recognition of India’s right to respond to the

provocation from Pakistan sponsored terror groups; operating out of Pakistani soil has

strengthened India’s resolve and morale to take on Pakistan’s proxy war in a proactive manner.

It remains to be seen whether Pakistan raises a war-cry over the issue and escalates the crisis

further. India’s preemptive measure has to a great extent succeeded in denting Islamabad’s

image in the world.

Script: Dr. Ashok Behuria, Senior Fellow & Coordinator South Asian Centre, IDSA

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Today’s Commentary

Pre-Emptive Strikes- A Fitting Response

To Pulwama

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The Indian newspapers havecommended the Indian Air Forcesurprise air strikes on PoK militantcamps,  exactly 12 days after thePulwama terror attack. The papershave opined that the attackeliminated “a very large number ofJeM terrorists, trainers,...

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