Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday warned Pakistan of more surgical attacks if it did not stop its transgressions and sponsoring the killing of civilians in Kashmir. “The surgical strikes proved that we don’t tolerate attacks. More will come if you transgress,” the Home Minister said. He was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the National Forensic Sciences University in Goa’s Dharbandora.
Reacting to Shah’s reference to surgical strike in his speech in Goa, Pakistan on Thursday said it is a peace-loving country, but will not spare any effort to thwart India’s “aggressive design”.
Shah had said: “Surgical strike under PM Modi and former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was an important step. We sent out a message that no one can disturb India’s borders. There was a time for talks, but now is the time to reciprocate.”
“Earlier, such acts of border incursions would be followed only by talks and pleas, now every provocation will be retaliated by an equal measure,” he said. “The surgical strikes, for the first time ever, helped restore the honour of the nation’s borders and thus reinforced India’s sovereignty,” he said.
India conducted surgical strikes in Pakistan in September 2016 in response to the latter’s terrorist attacks in Uri, Pathankot and Gurdaspur in India. The strikes took out several terrorist camps in Pakistan. The surgical strikes were conducted on 29 September 2016, 11 days after the Uri attack.
Shah on Thursday inaugurated the transit campus of National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) at Curti in Ponda, Goa. Dr J.M. Vyas, Vice-Chancellor, Forensic Science University briefed the Union Home Minister and others about the facilities that will be made available on the upcoming University Campus. Amit Shah earlier performed the “Bhoomi Pujan” at the permanent campus land of 50 acres allotted to NFSU by the Government of Goa at Dharbandora in South Goa. Chief Minister, Dr Pramod Sawant and others were present on the occasion.
The Home Minister said with the establishment of such a prestigious campus in Goa, skilled forensic experts will prepare and contribute significantly in accelerating the pace of the delivery system by presenting evidence in a scientific manner. The National Forensic Sciences University has started four courses from this academic year, 2021-22 at the Goa campus, including a five-year BSc-MSc Forensic Science, three courses of two years namely MSc Forensic Science, MSc Digital Forensics and Information Security, and MSc Cyber security.
Meanwhile, Pakistan on Thursday said Amit Shah’s statement, which has been interpreted as a veiled warning for more surgical strikes, is irresponsible and provocative. “His delusional statement only goes to further demonstrate the BJP-RSS combine’s propensity to stoke regional tensions for both ideological reasons and political expediency, based on enmity towards Pakistan,” Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs said in the statement.
“While Pakistan is a peace-loving country, we will spare no effort in resolutely thwarting any aggressive designs,” it said. “Pakistan’s swift response to India’s Balakot misadventure in 2019, including the downing of Indian combat aircraft and capture of Indian Air Force pilot, fully demonstrated the will, capacity and preparedness of our armed forces to deter Indian aggression,” it said.