India, Pak should take measures to avoid military escalation: AIFB

New Delhi, Sep 30: The All India Forward Bloc today said the surgical strike carried out by the army has sent the message that New Delhi was not soft towards terrorism and asked India and Pakistan to take "all possible" measures to avoid military escalation.

"The surgical strike carried out by Army yesterday has boosted the morale of Indian soldiers and involves a message that India is not a soft state towards terrorism. The party (though) is of the opinion that these actions should not lead to a war," the party said in a statement.

Stating both India and Pakistan are "nuclear power nations", AIFB said nobody can predict casualties in the eventuality of war.

"Moreover, people of both the countries are not in favour of military action, they are for peace and harmony.

"(Hence) the AIFB urges upon the political leadership of both India and Pakistan to take all the possible measures to avoid military escalation in the region," the statement said.

The party termed as "good diplomatic measures" to isolate Pakistan by putting pressure to postpone the proposed SAARC Summit in Islamabad, reviewing Most Favoured Nation status to it and raising the issue of terrorism sponsored by the neighbouring country at United Nations General Assembly by India.

Surgical strikes were carried out by India on seven terror launch pads across the LoC on the intervening night of September 28 and 29, with the Army saying it had inflicted "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from PoK.

PTI