Uri Attack: India sticks to diplomatic offensive
A day after the attack on an Army base in Uri, the government on Monday stepped up a diplomatic offensive against Pakistan to have it declared a global “terrorist state”, even as the Army said it “reserved the right to respond” at the “time and place of its choosing.”
“The United Nations should take up this issue in a serious manner because terrorism is an enemy of humanity…Pakistan has become an epicentre of terrorism; it’s high time that United Nations comes forward to declare Pakistan a terrorist state” said Information Minister Venkaiah Naidu, speaking for the government.
While the U.S. has designated Iran, Syria and Sudan as “state sponsors of terror”, the U.N. designates entities and not states. After the U.S. and U.K.’s statements of condemnation on Sunday, France, Canada, Russia and China issued strong statements supporting India on Monday, even as France and China called for talks between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir dispute.
Officials say the government plans to raise the issue of cross-border terror at the U.N. when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj addresses the General Assembly on September 26.
In response to statements from India, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan had “noted with serious concern” the allegations over the Uri attack, and called them “vitriolic and unsubstantiated.”
However, senior officials said that military responses to the attack had not been decided on, even as they “continued to be discussed” by both government and security forces.
Among the options being discussed are targeted strikes on terror camps and targeting of Pakistani posts along the LoC which allow terror groups to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir.
However, defence officials are understood to have indicated that a “swift strike” may be unfeasible, and could cause “civilian casualties.”
Meanwhile security installations across J&K have been put on high alert with personnel being told not to venture out to civilian areas.
Intelligence inputs have indicated that there could be more terrorists who have infiltrated in recent days.
In several meetings on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of all the options.
The day began with a review by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and NSA Ajit Doval, who then met Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Mr. Parrikar had earlier been briefed by the DG Military Operations and the Army chief Dalbir Singh Suhag.
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Source:Thehindu
