NCA meeting to discuss response to Indian aggression

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will chair the meeting of National Command Authority (NCA) to discuss a response to India’s Line of Control (LoC) violation, today (Wednesday).

The NCA is the top civilian-led command headed by the prime minister to oversee the policy formulation, exercises, deployment, research and development, employment and operational command and control of the country’s nuclear arsenals.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had chaired a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) a day earlier during which it was announced that a meeting of NCA has been summoned today.

The NSC had rejected Indian claims of targeting an alleged terrorist camp near Balakot and said that Pakistan will decide the time and place of response to the aggression.

Earlier on Tuesday, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor also warned India that it was time to “wait for our surprise”.

“I said three things: You will never be able to surprise us. We have not been surprised. We were ready, we responded, we denied. I said we will retain the escalation ladder. We have that initiative in our hand,” he said.

“I said that we will surprise you. Wait for that surprise. I said that our response will be different. See it for yourself. The response will come, and response will come differently,” he warned the Indian army.

Indian military aircraft violated the LoC as they “intruded” from the Muzaffarabad sector and were forced to return owing to the timely response of the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said early Tuesday.

“Indian aircraft intrusion across LoC in Muzafarabad Sector within AJK was 3-4 miles. Under forced hasty withdrawal aircraft released payload which had free fall in open area. No infrastructure got hit, no casualties. Technical details and other important information to follow,” Major General Ghafoor wrote on Twitter.

The incursion into the Pakistani air space follows a series of threats by Indian political and military leadership following the attack on an Indian Army convoy at Pulwama by a local youth, in reaction to the oppression unleashed by the occupational forces.