Poonch attack: Pakistan Army chief authorised assault to avenge losses at LoC, says report

The attack by a Pakistani special forces team, which sneaked across the Line of Control (LoC) and beheaded two Indian security personnel and mutilated their bodies in Poonch, was reportedly authorised by Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to avenge Pakistan's losses on the LoC.[caption id="attachment_3391208" align="alignleft" width="380"]

File image of Qamar Javed Bajwa. AP[/caption]According to The Indian Express, Bajwa authorised the attack after a visit to Pakistani military positions in Haji Pir on 30 April. Sources told the newspaper that local commanders had told Bajwa about the need for revenge after the killing of seven to 10 soldiers in an attack by Indian artillery on 17 April."Lieutenant-General Nadeem Raza, who commands the Pakistan X Corps, responsible for Kashmir, pushed back against concerns that the retaliatory action could lead to escalation on the LoC," the report quoted sources as saying.The Pakistan military on Wednesday also warned India against any "misadventure" after the Indian army cautioned Islamabad that it will have to face the consequences of mutilating bodies of two Indian soldiers.The Pakistan Army's remarks came during a hotline contact between the Director-Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of Pakistan and India this morning to defuse the tension."Any misadventure shall be appropriately responded at a place and time of own choosing," according to a statement issued by the army.The statement also said that Pakistan remains fully committed to maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC and expects the same from the other side.The Pakistan Army also asked India to provide "actionable evidence" to substantiate its charge claim that a Pakistani special forces team snuck across the LoC, beheaded two Indian security personnel and mutilated their bodies.The incident evoked a sharp reaction from India with Defence Minister Arun Jaitley saying such attacks do not even take place during war and that the whole country has full faith in the armed forces.With inputs from PTI