Indian Naval Chief Sunil Lanba said on Tuesday, 5 March, the Indo-Pacific region has witnessed multiple forms of terrorism in recent years and "few countries in this part of the world have been spared by this cause".
A day earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on said he believed in "barging into the houses of terrorists and killing them" as he vowed to find out those responsible for terror attacks in India "even if they hide in bowels of the earth".
Amid continuing tensions between India and Pakistan, a Pakistani drone was shot down by a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet around 11:30 am on Monday, 4 March, close to the Bikaner Nal sector area of the International Border, reported ANI.
Snapshot
- Referring to the air strike in Balakot, Indian Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said IAF doesn’t count casualties and that it is for the govt to provide details on the terrorists killed.
- Meanwhile, Pakistan government has issued an order to seize assets of all banned outfits under the UN sanction regime.
- Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated since the Pulwama terror attack, for which the JeM claimed responsibility
10:25 AM, 05 Mar
Violence Aided by State Seeks to Destabilize India, Says Naval Chief
Indian Naval Chief Sunil Lanba said on Tuesday, 5 March, the Indo-Pacific region has witnessed multiple forms of terrorism in recent years and "few countries in this part of the world have been spared by this cause".
According to ANI, the Naval chief said the global nature of terrorism has acquired in recent times has enhanced the scope of this threat, but "India faces a far more serious version of this state-sponsored terrorism".
"We have all witnessed the horrific scale of extremists attack on Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, just three weeks ago. We also have reports of terrorists being trained to carry out operations in various modus operandi including through the medium of the sea," he said.
"This violence was perpetuated by extremists, aided by a state which seeks to destabilize India," added.
9:41 AM, 05 Mar
Two Terrorists Killed in Encounter in Tral
Two terrorists have been killed in the ongoing encounter between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Tral on Tuesday, 5 March, reported ANI.
9:22 AM, 05 Mar
Avoid "Opposition-Bashing", Convince World on Air Strikes: Chidambaram to Centre
As the debate over India's 26 February air strikes in Pakistan rages on in the country, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday, 4 March, asked the Centre to avoid "opposition-bashing" and convince the world on its stand.
Chidambaram said he was prepared to "believe the government" as a "proud citizen", but the Centre has to "make efforts for the world to also believe" its stand.
He recalled party Chief Rahul Gandhi was the first to laud the Indian Air Force after the strikes.
Chidambaram faced sharp rebuke from Union Minister Piyush Goyal for his comments, with the senior BJP leader charging the Congress with believing in "Pakistan propaganda," but not the Indian armed forces.
"As a proud citizen, I am prepared to believe my government. But if we want the world to believe, the government must make the effort (to explain), not indulge in Opposition-bashing," Chidambaram said in a tweet.
9:16 AM, 05 Mar
US Trying to Find Common Ground between India and Pakistan: Pompeo
The United States is trying to find a common ground between India and Pakistan, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said, describing Kashmir as a long-standing battle between the two South Asian neighbors.
Pompeo cited the India-Pak dispute and the Israeli conflict as recent examples of America's negotiating diplomatic skills, about which he was asked at the "Future Farmers of America" event in Iowa on Monday, 4 March.
"How do you try to find a common ground, negotiate on behalf of the United States?," the top American diplomat was asked.
"So if you take a look at the most complex problems -- what's a good example? The debate to try to figure out how to get Middle East peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, or in the news recently, the longstanding battle in Kashmir between the Indians and the Pakistanis. The work that we do as diplomats is to try and find places where there's common ground," Pompeo told farmers.
America's effort, he said, was to figure out the places where there was a real overlap. "And then it is to convince those -- sometimes we're in the middle of it, sometimes we're just trying to help bring resolution to a problem or to reduce violence in a particular conflict -- it's to make the case that nobody's going to get everything," he said.
9:10 AM, 05 Mar
Encounter Underway in J&K's Tral
An encounter broke out on Tuesday, 5 March, between terrorists and security forces in Tral area of Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.
"A brief exchange of fire took place between security forces and terrorists in Tral area," a police spokesman said.
He said the security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an operation to flush out the terrorists.
8:49 AM, 05 Mar
Northern Army Commander in Srinagar to Review Security Situation
Northern Army Commander Lt General Ranbir Singh arrived in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, 4 March, for a two-day visit to review the prevailing security situation in the region, as reported by ANI.
Northern Army Commander Lt General Ranbir Singh arrived in Srinagar on Monday, 4 March.
12:39 AM, 05 Mar
Pakistan Govt Issues Order to Seize Assets of All Banned Outfits under UN Sanctions Regime
Pakistan on Monday promulgated a law to streamline the procedure for the implementation of the UN sanctions against individuals and organisations, amid mounting pressure from the global community to rein in the terror groups operating on its soil and curb their financing.
The Foreign Office said that the government issued the UN Security Council (Freezing and Seizure) Order, 2019 in accordance with the provisions of Pakistan's United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Act, 1948.
“The objective of the UNSC (Freezing and Seizure) Order 2019 is to streamline the procedure for implementation of Security Council Sanctions against designated individuals and entities,” it said in a statement.
Interpreting the order, Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said it means that the government has taken over the control of assets and properties of all banned outfits operating in the country, Dawn reported.
”(From now onwards), all kinds of assets and properties of all (banned) organizations will be in the government’s control,” he said.
He added that the government will now also seize the charity wings and ambulances of such banned outfits.
12:36 AM, 05 Mar
Qureshi Hints Pakistan May Not Oppose Listing of JeM Chief as Global Terrorist by UNSC
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday hinted that his country may not oppose a joint move by France, Britain and the US in the UN Security Council to list Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
"Time has come for Pakistan to decide in its own interests. We will do what's in Pakistan's interests," Qureshi told Geo TV in an interview.
Last week, the US, the UK and France moved a fresh proposal in the UN Security Council to designate Azhar as a global terrorist, a listing that will subject him to global travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo.
When asked whether Pakistan will request its close ally China to veto the resolution once again in the UNSC, Qureshi said his government will try to build a consensus among all parties and do what's in Pakistan's interests.
"We have some global commitments...We will have to take action which doesn't harm our global reputation," he said, without elaborating.
12:36 AM, 05 Mar
Pakistan Maintaining State of Alert and Vigilance Along LoC: Major Gen Ghafoor
The Pakistan Army was maintaining the "state of alert and vigilance" along the Line of Control where it claimed that the Indian Army was resorting to "intermittent firing".
Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor, updating the security situation, said that Indian troops initiated fire in Neza pir, Pandu, Khanjar Munawar, Battal and Baghsar sectors.
India said Pakistani troops violated ceasefire at two places by targeting forward posts and villages along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, breaking a two-day lull in cross-border skirmishes.
Indian officials said the firing and shelling by Pakistan in Akhnoor and Poonch sectors in Jammu region, however, caused no casualty.
Major Gen Ghafoor said that there was no casualties on Pakistan side during last 24 hours in the intermittent firing by India.
12:36 AM, 05 Mar
PM Vows to Hunt down Those behind Terror Attacks in India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 4 March, said he believed in "barging into the houses of terrorists and killing them" as he vowed to find out those responsible for terror attacks in India "even if they hide in bowels of the earth".
He targeted the opposition for playing "vote-bank politics" and not taking steps to curb terrorism that has been hurting India for 40 years when they were in power.
"They (the opposition) say it is a game of election. Where was election when we carried out surgical strikes for the first time (in September 2016)? 'Ye hamara siddhant hai, ki ghar mein ghus kar maarenge' (it is our principle that we will kill them by barging into their house)," he asserted while addressing a gathering in Ahmedabad.
"I am not going to spare them even if they hide in the bowels of the earth (saatve pataal)," he said in his address, seen as a fresh warning to Pakistan.
12:36 AM, 05 Mar
'Challenges Not Over Yet, Keep Your Guard Up': Pakistan Air Chief Tells PAF Officers
Pakistan Air Force chief on Monday, 4 March asked his officers to keep their "guard up" as the challenges facing the country "are not over yet".
Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan made the remarks during a visit to the forward operating bases (FOB), where he met combat and ground crew, air defence and engineering personnel, troops and civilian staff, a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) spokesperson was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.
"The challenges are not over yet, and we should keep our guards up and always be ready to respond to any aggression from the adversary," Khan said, referring to the Indian air strikes in Balakot, reported PTI.
12:36 AM, 05 Mar
Pakistan Airspace Fully Reopened, Says Aviation Authority
Pakistan fully reopened its airspace on Monday, 4 March, authorities said, days after it closed its skies to all air travel, leaving thousands stranded worldwide as tensions with nuclear arch-rival India soared.
The decision to close the airspace came last Wednesday after a rare aerial dogfight between India and Pakistan ignited fears of an all-out conflict, with world powers rushing to urge restraint.
"All airports across Pakistan are operational and airspace reopened," a spokeswoman for the Civil Aviation Authority told AFP on Monday, adding the process had been completed by 1:00 pm (0800 GMT).
The closure disrupted major routes between Europe and South Asia, with mounting frustration from passengers stranded at international airports.
It also delayed attempts to search for a British and an Italian climber who went missing on Nanga Parbat, Pakistan's "killer mountain" and the ninth highest peak in the world, as rescue teams were forced to wait for permission to send up a helicopter.
The climbers, Daniele Nardi and Tom Ballard, were last heard from on 24 February. Fresh rescue attempts had to be called off over the weekend due to bad weather amid growing fears for their survival.
Pakistan began reopening its airspace "gradually" from Friday, with flights allowed in and out of major cities.
But the backlog means major delays are still expected and authorities have urged passengers to check for more information with their airlines
12:36 AM, 05 Mar
EC Team in J&K to Assess Feasibility of Holding Simultaneous Polls in State
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday, 4 March began a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to assess the feasibility of holding the Lok Sabha and the state assembly polls simultaneously, reported PTI.
The ECI team, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, began interactions with political parties soon after their arrival in the summer capital, officials said.
They said the team will meet with officials of the state government, including the deputy commissioners and the district police chiefs, to get a briefing on the security situation in the state.
The officials said the team will leave for Jammu later in the day and hold similar interactions there on Tuesday.
The state has been under the President's Rule since December 20, 2018. Prior to that, it was under the Governor's Rule for six months.
The PDP-BJP government in the state fell in June 2018 after the national party pulled out of the coalition.
Almost all political parties in Kashmir have advocated holding state assembly polls simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections but the ECI wants to assess the ground situation in the wake of the current state of heightened tension between India and Pakistan.
11:51 PM, 04 Mar
Person Who Solves Kashmir Issue Will Be Worthy of Nobel Peace Prize: Imran Khan
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday, 4 March said the person who solves the Kashmir issue will be worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize, days after a resolution was submitted in Parliament endorsing him for the prestigious award, citing his "efforts to de-escalate" tensions with India.
"I am not worthy of the Nobel Peace prize. The person worthy of this would be the one who solves the Kashmir dispute according to the wishes of the Kashmiri people and paves the way for peace and human development in the subcontinent," the premier tweeted.
On 2 March, a resolution was submitted in Pakistan's National Assembly Secretariat stating that Khan's decision of releasing Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has de-escalated the hostility between Pakistan and India.
According to the resolution, Khan "acted responsibly" in the current tension and "deserves the Nobel Peace Prize".
11:51 PM, 04 Mar
Pakistan Restores Samjhauta Express Services to Delhi
Pakistani authorities on Monday, 4 March restored the Samjhauta Express services between Lahore and Delhi, days after the train was suspended due to tense bilateral ties.
The train departs on every Monday and Thursday from Lahore.
The Samjhauta Express carrying some 150 passenger’s left Lahore railway station for India, Radio Pakistan reported.
11:51 PM, 04 Mar
Air Force Chief Says IAF Doesn't Count Casualties, Govt Will Disclose Balakot Toll
Sidestepping a raging debate on the number of casualties in the Balakot strike, IAF chief BS Dhanoa on Monday, 4 March said it is for the government to provide details on the terrorists killed and the Air Force only sees if a target has been hit or not.
The Air Force doesn't count human casualties, Dhanoa said as the figure of how many terrorists were killed in the 26 February attack on a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province remained unclear. Government sources said up to 350 terrorists were killed, BJP president Amit Shah put the toll at 250, some media reports indicated the damage was minimal and opposition leaders clamoured for clarity. But there has been no official statement so far.
"We don't count human casualties. We count what targets we have hit or not hit," Dhanoa said in his first comments since the events of last week, when escalating India-Pakistan tensions led to aerial combat and Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman being in captivity in Pakistan for almost three days.
"The target has been clearly amplified by the foreign secretary in his statement. And, of course, if we plan to hit the target, we hit the target. Otherwise, why would he (Pakistan) have responded," he said.
11:51 PM, 04 Mar
IAF Jet ‘Shoots Down’ Pakistani Drone along Border in Bikaner
Amid continuing tensions between India and Pakistan, a Pakistani drone was shot down by a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet around 11:30 am on Monday, 4 March, close to the Bikaner Nal sector area of the International Border, reported ANI.
The drone was detected by Indian Air Defence radars. According to reports, the drone apparently violated Indian airspace near Bikaner at the International Border in Rajasthan and was shot down.
The Indian Air Force aircraft scrambled and fired air-to-air missiles, with the debris falling on the Pakistani side, it was further reported.