NEW DELHI, Aug 14:

In the backdrop of risingcross border terror activities inKashmir and standoff withChina in Dokalam, Defence

Minister Arun Jaitley todaycalled upon the armed forces todefend the country's borders

with "all its might".In a strong message to

Pakistan, he asked it to refrain

from continuing with "abhorrentacts" of terrorism against Indiaand reminded Islamabad of thesurgical strikes carried out by theIndian Army on September 29 lastyear on terror launch pads.

He said "significant casual-ties" were caused to terroristsand those providing support tothem in the surgical strikes.

While referring to contribu-tions of countless patriots inIndia's freedom struggle, Jaitleywithout directly referring to anycountry, said the nation nowlooks at the armed forces todefend its borders.

"The nation now looks toyou to defend its borders withall your might and to the best ofyour strength and abilities sothat all our people sleep in peacetonight, so that we all see a newdawn together, tomorrow and totake our country to new heightsof peace and prosperity for allour people," he said.

The comments assumed sig-nificance as armies of India andChina are locked in a face-off inDokalam for the past eight weeks.

The defence minister wasaddressing the armed forces per-sonnel in a customary radiobroadcast on the eve of the 71stIndependence Day.

Referring to cross border ter-rorism in Jammu and Kashmir,Jaitley said the armed forcespersonnel continue to be vigilanton the Line of Control indefending the nation as "ouradversary continues with its

abhorrent acts"."Despite our repeated

requests to our Western neigh-bour not to use our territory occu-pied by it not only to train terror-ists but also use it as launch padfor pushing these militants intoIndia, such nefarious activitiescontinued," he said.

Jaitley said India ran out ofpatience as these terrorists werenot only targeting the armedforces but also civilians andbased on credible inputs, theIndian Army had conducted sur-gical strikes on September 29last year at several of theselaunch pads to pre-empt infiltra-tion by terrorists.

"The operations werefocused on ensuring that theseterrorists did not succeed in theirdesign to cause destruction andendanger the lives of our citi-zens. During these counter ter-rorist operations significantcasualties were caused to terror-ists and those providing supportto them," he said.(PTI)

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017 (PAGE 16) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAYSh Kavinder GuptaHon’ble Speaker J&K

Legislative Assembly

COURTESY:U-turn Times Sh Kavinder Gupta

Hon’ble Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly

NOTICEA meeting of General Council of the Jammu & Kashmir

Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA) was heldat JKEEGA Office Jammu under the chairmanship of Er. NeerajSharma, General Secretary on Saturday the 12th of August 2017.Various burning issues facing the fraternity were discussed thread-bare with special emphasis on regularization, non-implementationof Assured Career Progression (ACP) and filling up of vacant postsby way of promotion in all the cadres. It was noted with greatdespair that the Government is taking the fraternity for a ride and noconcrete steps have been taken despite repetitive assurances. Thefraternity keeping in view the exteremly casual and callous attitudeof the Govt.towards the Legitimate demands unanimously opinedthat the only way to draw attention towards the genuine grievancesis to take the path of agitation as persuasion has failed at all levels.

Consequent upon the meeting and voted by the huge majority itwas resolved that the Graduate Electrical Engineers working inJKPDD/JKSPDC shall hold a day long protest and sit-in dharna atJKPDD Complex Gladni Jammu from 10.00 AM to 4.00 PM on 17thAugust 2017 to press for their long pending legitimate demands. Inthis regard all Engineers shall put in one day mass casual leave forThursday, 17th of August 2017 and participate in sit in Dharna atJKPDD Complex at Gladni.

J&K Electrical Engineering GraduatesAssociation (JKEEGA) Jammu

Sd/- Er Neeraj Sharma, Gen Secy, JKEEGA

Defend borders with all your might: Jaitley to forces