India has directly accused Pakistan of involvement in the raid on Sunday by four militants on an army base in Uri, near the “line of control” that divides Kashmir between the two nuclear powers.
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Even after eight Indians died in a January 2 attack on an air force station, near the border between Pakistan and the Indian state of Punjab, Mr Modi’s government adopted a cautious and ambiguous tone. Pakistan has given evidence to the UNSG and International Community of Indian involvement in terrorist activities inside Pakistan by supporting terrorism in Baluchistan and Karachi. India’s complex ties with Pakistan worsened after the neighbouring country sought to cash in on the unrest in Kashmir. Expressing their anguish over the attack, the protesters demanded strong action by India in retaliation to the attack in order “to teach Pakistan a lesson”. The Indian jawans are giving it back to the militants with full force.
Modi’s top aides say that the prime minister, who has made several public salvos to Pakistan’s premier Sharif has lost patience. “Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing by small arms towards Indian positions in Uri sector this afternoon”, an army official said.
Preliminary investigations carried out by the army suggest that the militants belonged to Jaish-e-Mohammad, a Pakistan-based Islamist terror organisation.
The attack presents Modi with the most serious crisis involving Pakistan since his election in 2014, with Hindu nationalists who helped him sweep to power expecting a more robust reaction than that of the last government.
The OIC also asked to peacefully settle the issue in accordance with wishes of Kashmiri people and the UNSC resolutions, said the Indian newspaper, quoting the state-run Indian news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).
Experts have said those may include shaming Pakistan and its support of terror groups on the global stage, continued diplomatic intervention, boosting security at military camps and cutting off trade ties and water agreements. United Kingdom foreign secretary Boris Johnson said his country “stands shoulder to shoulder with India in the fight against terrorism, and in bringing the perpetrators to justice”.
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“Here, we have a hostile Pakistani establishment”.
