Opinions

Punitive, proportionate and righteous


The government has acted with both boldness and tact in striking a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror training camp at Bala Kote, Pak Occupied Kashmir, and leaving it to the civilian establishment, rather than the military brass, to announce the attack. The Pak army’s initial response suggests that it would pretend that no damage was done, claiming that intruding Indian aircraft retreated in the face of Pak fighter planes that scrambled after Indian planes crossed the Line of Control.

The use of the Air Force speaks of determination to use punitive force, and holds out the threat of further punishment, should Pakistan choose to escalate matters. By selecting the target to be a JeM terror camp and calling the attack a “non-military pre-emptive strike”, India holds out a choice for Pakistan to claim that no military action was taken and thereby justify inaction. The Pak army managed to save face in the face of India’s so-called ‘surgical strikes’ on terror bases within the area controlled by it, in the wake of the terrorist attack on Indian security forces at Uri, by pretending that India did nothing that called for retaliation.

The action is proportionate, punitive and entirely defensible in the eyes of the global community that has been urging India to maintain restraint. The Indian response to Pak-based terror outfit JeM killing 44 of its securitymen using a suicide bomber at Pulawama leaves the onus for escalation, if any, on Pakistan. We hope Islamabad will choose to respond with a display of the better part of valour.





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