Ready for 'any order by govt': Army General on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

Poonch, Nov 22: The Indian Army is ready to execute orders given by the Government of India like taking back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Northern Army Commander Lt General Upendra Dwivedi said on Tuesday.

"As far as the Indian Army is concerned, it will carry out any order given by the Government of India. Whenever such orders are given, we will always be ready for it," Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi told ANI.

"The military is always ready to make sure that ceasefire understanding is never broken as it is in the interest of both nations, but if broken at any time, we will give them a befitting reply," said Lt Gen Dwivedi on the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan.

It may be recalled that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had also reiterated New Delhi's resolve to take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying all refugees would get their land and homes back.

"Pakistan is "committing atrocities" against people in its occupied Kashmir and will have to bear its consequence," he said.

Referring to the atrocities committed by Pakistan against the people in PoK, the defence minister said the neighbouring country will have to "bear its consequences".

"I would like to ask Pakistan about the rights given to the people living in our areas where it has maintained illegal occupation... We keep on hearing about the inhuman acts committed against innocent Indians for which Pakistan is fully responsible. And here I am talking about Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," he added.

Accusing Pakistan of "shedding crocodile tears" in the name of human rights, Singh said, "the pain of the people of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir also troubles us and not just them."

Prime Minister Modi also, in a rare departure from precedence, in his independence day speech in 2016 brought up the situation in Pakistan-occupied territories, and said the people of Balochistan and Gilgit thanked him for raising their issues.