M A I N   N E W S

16 Pakistani soldiers killed
12,000 flee border villages

Indian Army officials cleans an RLC gun after firing towards Pakistan positions in LoC as a retaliation in the Samba sector on Wednesday. Indian army soldiers at a bunker near the Indo-Pak border on Wednesday.  — PTI photos

Jammu, December 26
Sixteen Pakistani soldiers were killed and 19 bunkers destroyed in heavy retaliatory mortar fire by Indian troops in the Poonch sector along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir this morning, highly-placed defence sources said.

In a swift action, Indian forces fired about 100 rounds of 82mm mortar shells and rained about 2,000 rounds of heavy machine gunfire, taking the Pakistani army off-guard, the sources said.

The firing in the Mendhar, Kari Karmara and Kerni areas along the LoC took place after Pakistani forces opened heavy unprovoked firing on the Indian positions.

In the first two hours of firing, 10 Pakistani bunkers were destroyed and eight soldiers killed. A Pakistani watch tower located about 100 metres from the LoC came crashing down when two mortar shells blew it up killing two soldiers instantly.

Following the stunning reverses at Mendhar, the Pakistani troops began firing on Indian positions at Kari Karmara in a bid to divert the attention of the Indian troops.

In the subsequent fiery showdown, four Pakistani soldiers were killed and several others injured while six of their bunkers were destroyed.

In the Kerni area, two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three bunkers irreparably damaged in a similar mortar battle.

Pakistani soldiers camouflage an anti-aircraft gun near the Karachi port on Wednesday, as the tension between India and Pakistan rises. — Reuters photo

Army Day parade cancelled
Question mark over Republic Day parade
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 26
In an apparent bid to send the signal across the border to Pakistan about how serious India was in waging a war on terrorism and the gravity of the situation along the Indo-Pakistan border, the Army Day parade scheduled for next month has been cancelled for the first time in 52 years of its tradition.

The Chief of Army Staff, Gen S. Padmanabhan is said to have taken the decision to cancel the Army Day parade, which marks the elevation of the first Indian to the post of the Chief of the Army Staff after due consultation with his Commanders. With troops, including those from the Strike Corps and armoured columns, which form part of the Army Day parade, deployed along the border the decision was taken to cancel the parade. The ceremonial functions at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate here and the Army Day reception, attended by the President and the Prime Minister, would, however, be held on January 15.

Reports said the Army Day parade was not cancelled even after the Indo-Pakistan conflict in 1971. The present deployment of the Indian Army along the Indo-Pakistan border is in fact the largest since the 1971 conflict. The deployment of troops along the border was not as elaborate even during the Kargil conflict in 1999.

The Army has moved several battalions of armoured corps including tanks and artillery, close to Rajasthan and Punjab borders.

Incidentally, the cancelling of the Army Day parade has also put a question mark over the Republic Day parade, which showcases the might of the Indian Armed Forces. Since the Army Day parade, held on January 15, showcases the might of the Indian Army and most of the columns participating in it also form part of the Republic Day parade, it would be difficult to go about conducting the national event which marks India becoming a Republic in 1950, sources said.

If the Republic Day parade is cancelled, it would also be for the first time in the Indian history.

However, sources said the cancellation of the Republic Day parade would be a decision that would be taken by the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, since he is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and takes the salute at the Rajpath on January 26.

Sources in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the issue of whether or not to go ahead with the Republic Day parade was presently under the consideration of the Union Cabinet. Only after the Cabinet takes a decision would the President be approached.

There is a school of thought that favours going ahead with it since it is a national function and cancellation could give a wrong signal. There is another opinion that in view of the present situation, it could be scaled down.

Sources said even if the Republic Day parade was held, it had to be scaled down since 80 per cent of the inputs including tanks, artillery, troops and communication and other logistics are all provided by the Army.

The Army spokesman here said that the cancellation of the January 15 parade, which displayed the might of the Army at the Parade Grounds at Delhi Cantonment here, followed deployment of Army formations along the borders.

The day signifies the appointment of Gen K M Cariappa as the first Indian Chief of the Army Staff in 1949. The holding of the parade would have involved over 5,000 soldiers including 2,000 men, for logistical duties.

Besides Delhi, the Army Day parade is also held at three other places, in Calcutta, Pune and either Lucknow or Allahabad.

The Army spokesman said the parade would also not be conducted at these places. Holding of parade at these three centres would also have involved between 5000 to 7000 men.