Indian Army does not target citizens, DGMO tells Pakistan

New Delhi, Oct 30: Indian Army does not target innocent citizens and always maintains impeccable standards of professionalism, clarified Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen A K Bhatt to his Pakistani counterpart.

In an unscheduled hot line call requested by Pakistan, DGMO Lt Gen Bhatt to spoke to his counterpart at 2 pm on Monday, official sources said.

The Pakistan DGMO had alleged that Indian Security forces had resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control. Lt Gen AK Bhatt emphatically stated that retaliatory firing by Indian troops has only been carried out in response to unabated support given by Pak Army to armed terrorists who infiltrate across the border and target Indian Army posts with heavy calibre weapons. It is in response to such actions that Indian Army troops retaliate, he added.

The DGMO further clarified that Indian Army always maintained impeccable standards of professionalism and did not target civilians. On the contrary Pak Army, has employed civilians at the forward posts and accorded permission for permanent locations of civilians in the vicinity of Pak Army posts, he alleged.

The DGMO further alleged that these civilians have repeatedly been used for gaining information of our locations and providing guides to the terrorists while crossing the Line of Control.

Lt Gen AK Bhatt impressed upon the Pak DGMO that while Indian Army will continue efforts to ensure peace and tranquillity on the borders, however, support provided to terrorists while crossing the Line of Control by Pak Army is the prime reason for any collateral damage and is attributed to Pak Army aiding infiltration across the LC.

He reiterated that this support to terrorism by Pak Army was unacceptable and the Indian Army would continue to take all retaliatory measures as well as retain the right to punitively respond to such provocative acts of aggression from Pak side in future too.