A Measure of Justice Against Pakistan

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday said that India’s military action against Pakistan was a response to the barbaric killing of Indians in Pahalgam in J&K. Earlier in the night India had carried out air strikes against targets as far 100 kms from the international border such as Bahawalpur in Pakistan. In all nine terrorist locations were hit in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). In all the operation—Operation Sindoor—lasted less than 25 minutes.

This was, by far, India’s most audacious strike against Pakistan in the 21^st century.

“It was deemed essential that perpetrators of the incident of 22^nd April be brought to justice,” Misri said while briefing the press in New Delhi. He said India had the right to respond to such attacks and India’s response was proportionate and involved carefully chosen targets. The attacks were non-escalatory in nature, Misri added.

The armed forces briefed on the military aspects of India’s response. Colonel Sofiya Quershi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force, gave details of the targets that were hit. Nine terrorist locations were destroyed. The targets were chosen on the basis of intelligence inputs and the mission was designed not to hit military facilities as also to avoid collateral damage.

THE CAMPS

Sawai Nala Camp, located 30 kms from the Line of Control (LoC), was a Lashkar e Taiba (LeT) camp.

Syedna Bilal Camp, located in Muzaffarabad, was a Jaish e Muhammad (JeM) camp

Gulpur Camp, Kotli, located 30 kms from the LoC was a LeT camp.

Barnala Camp, Bhimber, was located 9 kms from the LoC.

Abbas Camp, Kotli, was located 13 kms from the LoC and was a LeT camp.

Far more important than these camps, that were located in PoK, were the terrorist training camps and infrastructure that were located within Pakistan. These were the “nerve centres” of terrorism and were closely guarded by the Pakistan army.

These camps were:

Sarjal Camp in Sialkot, located 9 kms from the International Border (IB).

Mehmoona Joya Camp, located 18 kms from the IB.

Markaz Taiba Muridke, located 18-20 kms from IB. This camp was particularly important as the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008 were planned and executed from here. This was a site closely associated with Hafeeze Saeed, the mastermind of the LeT that later mutated into various organisations such as the Falah e Insaniyat to escape designation as a terrorist organisation. They continue to operate freely in Pakistan.

Markaz Subhanallah, Bahawalpur, 100 kms from the IB is the nerve centre of the JeM and at one point its mastermind Maulana Masood Azhar.

The two military spokeswomen said that no military target was hit and no civilian casualties have been reported. The targets were chosen carefully and were destroyed with clinical efficiency.

“India has demonstrated considerable restraint…But any Pakistani misadventure will be responded to,” said Wing Commander Singh in her concluding remarks.

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