India avenged the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 by carrying out an air strike with precision missiles over nine terror targets in Pakistan just after midnight of 6/7 May. The operation was aptly codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’, a name suggested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. After the dastardly and selective killing of 26 tourists, mostly Hindus, in Pahalgam on April 22, the retaliation is a befitting retribution to our sisters who lost their husbands in the barbaric terror attack. The timing of the Indian response is also important. The air strike happened immediately after 13 days of mourning (Terahvi in Hindi) after a death in a Hindu family. Justice has been served to our sisters who lost their dear ones in the cowardly terror killing.
India launched the air strikes in Pakistan after careful and detailed preparation. Only known and identified terror locations at Muzzarabad, Kotli, Gulpur, Bhimber, Sialkot, Chak Amru, Muridke and Bahawalpur were targeted through precision missiles fired by the Indian Air Force from within their own territory. This fact is important because India has only targeted terror sites and avoided civilian targets. More than 90 terrorists have been killed, as per the initial reports, though the actual figure may be higher than that. Yes, some civilian casualties, though unintended, are possible as collateral damage. The press conference by India on May 7 has given detailed coverage and evidence of the aerial attack.
India has given a clear message by destroying the mosque in Bahawalpur, a known terrorist headquarters of Jaish-e- Mohamed (JeM). The mosque built by JeM Chief Hafiz Syed had become a terror hub, and it is reported that more than 30 terrorists have been killed in Bahawalpur itself. India understands the sensitivities of such an action and thus has informed the key Middle East nations. India, thus, has taken firm action against Pak-sponsored terrorism.
India has demonstrated its resolve towards Zero Tolerance to Terrorism with focused, measured and non-escalatory retaliation only on the known terror sites inside Pakistan. India has exhibited considerable restraint by avoiding any military facilities in Pakistan. Knowing the mindset of the Pakistan Army, they, too, would try their dirty tricks after these attacks. Indian Armed Forces are more than a match for them. I would only urge the patriotic Indians to be fully prepared to deal with any eventuality. Civil defence drills should be taken seriously by all the Indians.
This time around, India is fully prepared to deal with any misadventure from Pakistan. Indians, too, have shown unprecedented unity behind the leadership of the Modi government. Pakistan will obviously make tall claims and try to play the victim card in front of the world. With the Indian Armed Forces fully geared up to defeat Pakistan, as per the operational escalators matrix, Pakistan should get the clear message: Don’t mess with India hereafter. As of now, justice has been served by India to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
