PM's Free Hand To Forces To Decide Timing, Target To Respond To J&K Attack: Sources

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the armed forces 'complete freedom to decide on the mode, targets, and timing' of India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, sources told NDTV Tuesday night. The message was delivered as the Prime Minister met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

Sources said the Prime Minister 're-affirmed that it is our national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism' and that he has 'complete faith and confidence' in the Indian military.

Shortly after the meeting, Home Minister Amit Shah and Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ruling BJP's ideological mentor, reached the Prime Minister's residence.

The PM's message, sources explained, greenlights military action against the terrorists who killed 26 people, mostly civilians, in the worst such incident since the Pulwama attack in February 2019.

Then India conducted precision air strikes on terrorist camps in Balakot in Pakistan. The camps were run by banned terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed with help from the Pak Army.

EXCLUSIVE | Unreleased Satellite Pics What Happened At Balakot

Fast-forward six years and it is another familiar banned Pak-based terror group - the Lashkar-e-Taiba - that has been linked with this attack. A proxy - The Resistance Front - has claimed responsibility. 

Meanwhile, security agencies have also said available evidence pointed to Pakistan again. Diplomats from the US, Russia, China, Japan, and some European nations have been briefed on this material.

The government has already rolled out a series of diplomatic restrictions on Pakistan.

Plan So Far: Cancel Visas, Stop Water

In the first round of responses Delhi revoked visas for Pakistan nationals, except for Pak Hindus and those with long-term stay approvals. The government had also revoked medical visas.

All notified visas issued to Pak nationals expired on Sunday, April 27, leading to a long line of Pakistani citizens at border crossings, including the famous Attari-Wagah checkpoint.

Since Thursday, when the revocation order was first issued, nearly 1,000 Pak nationals have left India, with Home Minister Amit Shah personally asking chief ministers to enforce the order.

READ | Identify All Pakistanis In India, Send Them Back: Amit Shah To CMs

As part of further diplomatic restrictions on Pakistan, India had also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a critical water-sharing deal that gives Pak nearly 85 per cent of its supply.

The suspension of the IWT, signed in 1960, was met with fury by Pakistan, which called it "an act of war". Islamabad has since also revoked all visas for Indian nationals and ejected hundreds.

Pak also revoked visas and held other bilateral deals, like the Simla Agreement, in abeyance.

Since then a top defense official warned of possible war with India.

READ | 16 Pak YouTube Channels Banned In India, BBC Warned Too

In comments to Pakistani media outlet Geo News - YouTube broadcasts of which have been banned online in India - Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif described the next few days as crucial.

'Won't Allow Evil Agenda To Succeed'

In one of his first public comments on the Pahalgam attack, the Prime Minister vowed vengeance and said his government would not allow terrorism's evil agenda to succeed.

READ | "Am Telling The World...": PM's Big Warning, In English, On Terror

"The time has come to raze whatever is left of the terror haven. The will of 140 crores will break the back of the masters of terror," he said in comments seen to be directed at Pakistan.

Since then he has made several strong statements warning the terrorists India - unafraid of terror - will track down and hold each person accountable, including those who planned the heinous attack.

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