ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister said that India has established air bases near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.
Minister Khurram Dastagir made these remarks while talking to a private Pakistani news channel Dawn, on Friday.
“Under its Cold Start doctrine, India has established cantonments and also moved its ammunition depots close to the LoC,” he was quoted as saying by the news channel.
The statement has come at a time of growing tension between India and Pakistan across LoC.
Earlier this week, on 13 February, Defense Minister Dastagir has said in a statement that Pakistan will pay India “in its own coin in case of any Indian misadventure.”
“An aggressive Pak centric doctrine and arrayed forces under a belligerent regime leading to possible strategic miscalculation by India will seriously impact the strategic stability in South Asia,” Pakistani Defense Minister said in a statement.
“Pakistan has strong reservation about Cold start doctrine and to respond Indian adventurism, Pakistan has already built tactical nuclear weapons which are short range nuclear weapons,” Qammar Cheema an Analyst told Arab News.
According to the Indian Express, the ‘Cold Start’ doctrine of the Indian Armed Forces envisages swift deployment of troops on the western border within days if a situation of a full-blown war arises.
This doctrine aims to allow Indian forces to conduct sustained attacks while preventing a nuclear retaliation from Pakistan.
The operation would be carried out by a unified battle group involving various branches of India’s military.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s military spokesman Major General Asif Ghaffor said that “Indian Army post on LoC, targeting innocent citizens, were destroyed by Pak Army troops in Tatta Pani (Hot Spring) sector (at LoC).”
“Five Indian soldiers were killed, many were injured. Indian terrorism against innocent citizens shall be responded befittingly,” the statement read.
In a tweet Major General Asif Ghaffor also shared a video clip showing bombing at the Indian Army posts at LoC and smoke came out from those sites after they were targeted by Pakistan.
“Absence of third party like USA or any other influential global players in resolving Kashmir issue and bringing India on table for bilateral talks with Pakistan, has given unprecedented blow to peace process between both countries,” Qamar Cheema said.
