New Delhi: A week after 11 security personnel were killed in terror attacks in Kashmir, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said the militants had come from Pakistan and India will have to give “strong response” to check such “blatant attempts”.
The Defence Minister, who visited Kashmir yesterday, said a change in situation will emerge after six months as government was planning a number of steps but refused to elaborate.
“I feel that there has to be some strong response which will once and for all or at least reduce this blatant attempts. It’s an open secret that they (militants) came from Pakistan ” he said, adding, “You will see the developments in the next six months.”
The Defence Minister was replying to a question on whether India’s responses to militant attacks in Kashmir Valley have been effective.
Parrikar said his immediate priority is to ensure proper equipment and support to armed forces guarding the country in Jammu and Kashmir.
When pointed out that Pakistan possesses nuclear power and how the government will respond effectively, the Defence Minister said “nuclear doctrine asks us to maintain restraint.
“I am not talking of a full scale war. Full scale war is totally different. But if there are places where you get the terrorists across, there are people who do it. I think those people will have to be brought under pressure,” he said during Aaj Tak agenda programme.
The Kashmir Valley was last week rocked by four terror attacks by militants who stormed an Army camp in Uri leaving 11 security personnel, including a Lt Colonel, dead and killed two civilians in Tral, ahead of the third phase of polling in Assembly elections in the state. .
The Defence Minister also underlined the need for taking preventive measures to deal with the problem of militancy but did not elaborate.
“We need not wait for someone to attack,” he said, adding security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir effectively retaliated to various attacks.
“I just want to say that when they tried we have retaliated. This year the total number of neutralised terrorists is 102 as compared to 66 last year,” said Parrikar.
Last week, India had said Pakistan’s support to UN-designated terrorist and Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed and his proscribed Jamaat-ud-Dawah was “nothing short of mainstreaming of terrorism.”
Pakistan government had provided logistical support to a two-day congregation in Lahore last week which was organised by JuD.
Pakistan says there is no case against Hafiz Saeed and that he is free to move in the country as a Pakistani national. (PTI)
