Islamabad, November 18 (Dawn): The Pakistan Navy on Friday said it had prevented Indian Navy submarines from entering Pakistani territorial waters on Monday, November 14.
“The Indian Navy, in order to fulfill its nefarious designs, was deploying submarines. The Pakistan Navy, alert and using its extreme skill, prevented Indian submarines from entering Pakistani waters. The unsuspecting submarine was detected and localized south of Pakistani coast on Nov 14,” read the statement issued by Pakistan Navy
Navy fleet units detected the presence of Indian submarines in the southern parts of Pakistani waters, mimiced their behavior and restricted their activity,” the statement said.
The Pakistan Navy prevented the Indian submarines from being successful in their attempts to keep their presence a secret, the statement said, adding that the navy had constantly pursued the submarines and pushed them back.
The statement did not specify the number of submarines sighted or why the story was kept under wraps for four days.
Soaring tensions
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stepped up a drive to isolate Pakistan diplomatically after the Uri army base attack in September. Hours after the attack occurred, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh termed Pakistan a ‘terrorist state’ and accused Pakistan of involvement.
he Uri attack occurred days before Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was set to address the United Nations General Assembly regarding Indian human rights violations in held Kashmir.
Following the attack, India claimed it had conducted a cross-border ‘surgical strike’ against ‘launch pads of terror’ in Azad Jammu and Kashmir — a claim Pakistan has strongly rejected.
Since then, both countries have intermittently exchanged fire over the Line of Control, with seven Pakistan army soldiers becoming the latest in a series of casualties in the cross-fire confirmed by the Pakistan Army. Pakistan has lodged several protests with India over repeated violation of the ceasefire agreement and targeting of civilians and soldiers along the border in the past few weeks.
Pakistan maintains that India is attempting to divert the world’s attention away from atrocities committed by government forces in India-held Kashmir.
Pakistan and India have, most recently, locked horns over Kashmir since Indian forces stepped up a crackdown against protesters after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by government forces in July.
The two countries had also declared each other’s diplomats as persona non grata forcing their withdrawal.
