"We have responded very responsibly": Former Indian Ambassador Vidya Bhushan Soni on Indo-Pak tensions - World News Network

New Delhi [India], May 10 (ANI): Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, former Indian Ambassador Vidya Bhushan Soni underlined that India has acted with responsibility and has not undertaken any actions that could be deemed blameworthy.
Speaking to ANI on Friday, Soni stated that Pakistan is a “failed” state that has been acknowledged for decades by all international agencies and world bodies.
Referring to the “Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives said, “Pahalgam is a very peaceful place where the accident happened… It was uncalled for and unnecessary. A message has to be sent to them because they keep doing it… We are a responsible nation. We have responded very responsibly, and we have not taken any action which can be found at fault. So once they have taken the initiative, they have to be told that enough is enough. We are not going to we are not going to accept it anymore. So the response has been very calculated, very precise.”
“It’s sad that Pakistan has not learnt lessons from the past. Pakistan is not in a position to respond at all because it’s a failed state that has been acknowledged for decades by all international agencies and world bodies,” he added.
“So, how are they going to respond when they are not ready for it? Which part of the government is ready? The civilian government is not in control. The terrorist forces are reigning supreme. Army chief makes statements which are hardly professional and not related to the reality on the ground situation. How could Pakistan take such a foolhardy step? They provoked India,” Soni further said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army retaliated strongly in the Jammu sector in response to the drone attacks on Indian cities by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), Defence Sources said on Saturday.
Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, drones were spotted at 26 locations ranging from Baramulla in the north to Bhuj in the south, along both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) on Friday.
The drones are suspected to be armed and pose potential threats to both civilian and military targets. The locations where drones were spotted include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet, and Lakhi Nala.
In a serious incident, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Punjab’s Ferozpur, severely injuring members of a local family. The injured received immediate medical assistance, and the area has been sanitised by security forces.
The Indian Armed Forces are on high alert. All aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. Defence sources said the situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary.
Citizens, especially in border areas, have been advised to remain indoors, avoid unnecessary movement, and follow safety instructions from local authorities. While officials have said there is no need to panic, they have called for heightened vigilance and precaution.
A day after its attempt to target civilian infrastructure along the Line of Control and International border was foiled by the Indian air defence, Pakistan’s drones were again sighted in Jammu, Samba, Pathankot sector on Friday.
Red streaks could be seen, and explosions were heard in the Samba sector of Jammu as India’s air defence intercepted Pakistani drones amid a blackout.
A blackout has been enforced in the Akhnoor and Udhampur regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
India had responded through precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK to the original escalation by Pakistan through the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan has now resorted to escalation, which is being responded appropriately by the Indian Defence Forces (ANI)

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