Pak fears surgical strike by India: Ex-envoy after Poonch terror attack

Former Pakistani diplomat Abdul Basit has said that Pakistan is fearing another surgical strike by India as retaliation to the recent terrorist attack in Poonch that killed five soldiers.

According to him, it is a hot topic among the Pakistanis who think that India might carry out a surgical or air strike. "Now people in Pakistan are talking about another surgical strike or air strike by India. I do not think that now they will do the same because they are holding SCO meet and G20 presidency this year.

I don't see any misadventures from India till the time they hold presidencies. But next year during elections, India may do this again. This may happen just before the elections in India," ANI quoted him as saying in a recent video.

His statement refers to India's surgical strikes against militant launch pads across the Line of Control in Pakistan-administered Kashmir in 2016 and an airstrike conducted by Indian warplanes in 2019 in Balakot against a terrorist training camp.

However, Abdul Basit defended the Poonch terrorist attack saying that it targeted the army and not the civilians. "Whoever has done it, be it Mujahedeen or whosoever, they have targeted the military, not civilians. They are engaged in a legitimate struggle. If you are conducting a movement, you are targeting the military but not civilians, international law allows it," he said.

He further stated, "India knows where we stand,"

In the recent terrorist attack, five soldiers were killed and one was injured after the militants attacked the lone Army truck.

The truck was carrying eatables for iftar to a nearby village.

However, investigations have revealed that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba was behind the Poonch attack and not Jaish-e-Mohammad.

A source had told Oneindia that the intent of the attack was to create panic and unrest ahead of the G20 meetings, slated to be held in Jammu and Kashmir in May. The investigations have also shown that the Army vehicle was attacked from three sides.