Pakistan warned of punitive response to escalation post ceasefire

Lambasting Pakistan for violating the ceasefire agreement within a few hours of announcement, on Saturday night, Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai said they were expecting the Pak Army to violate.

Addressing a joint services media briefing in the national capital on Sunday, Ghai outlined in clear words, “Disappointingly, and should I add expectedly, it took only a couple of hours for the Pak Army to violate.”

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Revealing the details of the ceasefire term negotiated with his counterpart on Saturday afternoon, Ghai said as they (Indian armed forces) getting into a huddle to wargame the events of the previous night, he received a message on hotline from Pakistan DGMO Maj Gen Kashif Abdullah, seeking his willingness to communicate.

“Since our initial aim was to strike at terror camps and all our actions in the subsequent days were in response to the intrusions and violations by the PAF and Pak Army, it was decided that I would indeed speak with the Pak DGMO,” he said adding the call was undertaken at 3:35 pm.

Claiming that after the termination of cross-border firing and air intrusions by either side from 5 pm, on 10 May, came into effect following the talks in which Abdullah proposed that both the countries cease hostilities.

Stating that it was also decided between both the DGMOs to have another round of talks May 12, in order to discuss the modalities that would enable the longevity of this Understanding, Ghai said, ‘’However, disappointingly and should I add expectedly, it took only a couple of hours for the Pak Army to violate these arrangements by cross border and LC firing followed by drone intrusions across the expanse of the Western Front, through last night and in the early hours of the morning today.”

“These violations were responded to robustly and dealt with as they must be. We have earlier today sent across a hotline message to the Pak DGMO highlighting their violation of the Understanding between the DGsMO on 10 May and our firm and clear intent to respond to these fiercely and punitively, if repeated tonight or later,” said the DGMO.

Lt Gen Ghai further warned Pakistan stating that in case of further escalation post the ceasefire, “there will be a response — and it will be a punitive one”.

Clearly outlining that India has put Pakistan “on notice” and made clear that any further provocation will be met with fierce retaliation, the DGMO said, “We have been compelled to be in this situation and as you have seen, the armed forces of India, we are always prepared to face any eventuality…Whatever has to be done will be done. I am not concerned about what Pakistan will do; I am only concerned about what we will do. We have a roadmap and a plan and we will follow it diligently…”

“The activities that have been going on for the last 3-4 days are no less than a war. Under normal circumstances, the air forces of each other’s countries do not fly in the air and attack each other…Under normal circumstances, infiltration across the Line of Control is done by terrorists. We have information that the Pakistani army may also be involved in infiltration across the Line of Control, which is trying to harm our posts…” he added.