BSF destroyed 118 Pak forward posts, dismantled surveillance system: Amit Shah

Reiterating the Indian armed forces’ decisive response to Pakistan’s shelling of civilian areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday stated that the Border Security Force (BSF) destroyed 118 Pakistan posts and dismantled the neighbouring country’s surveillance system.

Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, visited Poonch on Friday, where he distributed appointment letters to the kin of civilians killed in Pakistani shelling between May 7 and May 10.

Addressing BSF personnel in Poonch, Shah said that every child in the country recognises the BSF as the first line of defence for national security.

“During Operation Sindoor, BSF personnel deployed along the Jammu and Rajasthan frontiers and the remote Kutch border protected the nation’s boundaries with utmost vigilance. When Pakistan shelled residential areas in retaliation for Indian Army strikes on terrorist camps across the border, BSF responded by destroying or damaging over 118 Pakistani posts and dismantling their entire surveillance system,” he said.

During the appointment letter distribution event, Shah noted that one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first decisions after taking office was to construct over 9,500 bunkers along the border, a move that has significantly contributed to saving civilian lives during attacks.

“The Government of India will build more bunkers to ensure citizen safety during disasters,” he added. Shah emphasised that the Centre “stands like a rock with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Expressing condolences to families affected by the recent shelling targeting residential areas, temples, gurdwaras, and madrasas in Poonch, Shah remarked that financial aid and government jobs can never truly compensate for the loss of life, “but they are a symbol of the sentiments of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, the Government of India, and the entire nation.”

He also said that the spirit of patriotism witnessed across J&K—from the Valley to Poonch and Kathua—following the Pahalgam terrorist attack had bolstered the resolve of the people.

Referring to the recent attack on pilgrims in Pahalgam, Shah said: “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy of responding to terrorist attacks with promptness and severity, Indian forces destroyed terrorist bases in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan. For the first time, Indian forces demolished the headquarters of terrorist organisations located within Pakistan’s borders.”

He clarified that Indian forces, while exercising restraint and precision, did not target any military or civilian institution in Pakistan. “We specifically destroyed Pakistan-sponsored terrorist bases,” he added.

Shah said that a rattled Pakistan, following India’s counter-strikes, resorted to shelling residential areas in J&K, with Poonch suffering the most.

“When Pakistan attacked our unarmed civilians, the Indian armed forces responded robustly, damaging nine of their airbases and degrading their military capabilities, ultimately forcing Pakistan to agree to a ceasefire,” he said.

Relief package soon

Home Minister Amit Shah said a package would soon be announced by the Centre for damaged homes, businesses, and religious sites.

Soon after his arrival in Poonch, Shah visited Gurudwara Singh Sabha, which was damaged in the Pakistani shelling. He also visited other such places in the shelling-hit areas and interacted with the people.

During his visit, Shah met residents and families who lost loved ones and suffered extensive damage to their properties in the shelling. Shah also met the affected shopkeepers.