Long range heavy caliber weapons used to hit Hajira
First major punitive action after surgical strikes
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 29: Indian Army today carried out major retaliatory action using long range heavy caliber weapons causing intense damage to Pakistan army’s Administrative Headquarters at Hajira town, located about nine kilometers from Line of Control (LoC) inside Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) in wee hours of this morning in which number of Pakistani troopers were reported to have been killed.
This was the first major punitive action against Pakistan army by the Indian troops after September 29, 2016 surgical strikes carried out at four places inside Pakistan in which several terrorists and Pakistani troops were killed.
Today’s retaliation was in revenge to twin attacks on Indian defence installations including 93 Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Poonch town and an Army camp at Jhallas in the same district on October 23 in which a shelter place of the Army was burnt.
Sources told the Excelsior that the Army launched major attack on Pakistan army using long range heavy caliber weapons including artillery and pounded Administrative Headquarters of the enemy located at Hajira, about nine kilometers inside PoK from the LoC causing extensive damage to the defence installation of the enemy.
Reports indicated that major part of Pakistan army’s Administrative Headquarters caught fire after being hit by the shells, which directly fell on the target. Reports suggested that apart from heavy damages caused to the Headquarters and number of Pakistani troops were either killed or injured.
Major part of the Administrative Headquarters of Pakistan army has been reduced to ashes, sources said.
They added that the Indian Army has to exercise extreme restraint and caution as there was civilian population in Hajira town and surroundings located closed to Pakistan’s defence installation. Bandi Gopalpur, Nikial, Samani and Khuiratta are some of the populated towns and villages, which were located close to Hajira town, where Pakistan army’s Administrative Headquarters was targeted.
“The attack was carried out in such a way that civilian population living close to Pakistan army’s Administrative Headquarters wasn’t affected. While Pakistan army always target the civilian population on the Indian side in cross-border shelling, Indian troops made it a point to ensure that the Pakistani civilians are not affected,’’ sources said.
There was panic among Pakistan army after their Administrative Headquarters was hit and went up in flames. Number of Pakistani troops saved their lives by rushing out while several were believed to be killed and injured.
Army had undertaken surgical strikes in September 2016 aimed at terrorist launch pads across LoC in Pakistan occupied Kashmir in response to Pakistan sponsored terrorist strikes in Uri and Nagrota.
“The pressure on Pakistan army was kept across the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts by proactive and precise targeting by the Indian Army. Pakistan army suffered more than 138 fatal casualties in the sector in 2017 and half the number in 2018 till May this year when Pakistan army was forced to request for ceasefire in the face of mounting casualties,’’ sources said.
Following the shelling in Poonch, the Indian Army has in its “strong signal” to Pakistan, fired on its Army Administrative Headquarters in PoK, sources said, adding that a very strong message has gone to Pakistan that firing of one shell by it will be retaliated very forcibly and effectively by the Indian troops.
Quoting information received from across the border, sources claimed that several photographs “stood testimony” to the reports of border villagers that they had seen smoke emanating from the Pakistani headquarters after the Indian military’s retaliatory action.
They said the Indian Army has exercised maximum restraint, despite continuous provocation by the Pakistani army.
They also highlighted the recent killing of two Pakistan Border Action Team personnel in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district on October 21 and the country’s refusal to accept their bodies.
“Deprivation and penury of locals of PoK suits the Pakistan army that while ensconced in the safety of their posts, use these unwitting and brainwashed youths as cannon fodder for actions along the LoC, a cowardly and unprofessional modus operandi for any self respecting army,” sources said.
“These acts of the Pakistan army are accentuated by their propensity in refusing to acknowledge and accept the dead bodies of their soldiers as also of terrorists, each time the terrorists are neutralized in operations along the LoC or the hinterland,” they said.
Sources said common Pakistani citizens were not even aware of widespread business interest of their army, whose profits are enjoyed by the military hierarchy amidst suppressed allegations of large scale financial misappropriation.
“State controlled media, façade of democracy, bogey of nuclear threat and proclivities to play victim of Indian Army’s domination obfuscate the realities of a dysfunctional Pakistan State, a reality well camouflaged by Pakistani troops in interactions in international forums. It is time the bluff of the Pakistan army is called and perpetrators of terrorism are taught a befitting lesson,’’ sources said.
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