Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag today rejected allegations about lack of coordination during operations to flush terrorists out of the Pathankot Air Force Station, saying local commanders had complete liberty in planning and execution.
At a press conference in the National Capital, General Suhag said the Army was not under anybody’s command except the western Army Commander – Lt Gen KJ Singh.
His statement assumes significance as retired Army officers had been questioning as to why the Army, the last resort of the nation, was put under the command of the National Security Guard, a force governed by the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is also being questioned as to who was in command of the Indian forces after they were deployed to tackle the January 2 terror attack.
“As far as the Army is concerned, it was not under anybody’s command. It was under the Western Army Commander who was monitoring and controlling the operations on my behalf,” General Suhag said.
The Army Chief also said “there was no lack of coordination, and there was complete synergy”. One of the focus areas was to ensure the safety of assets (planes and helicopters at the IAF base) and families at the attack site, for which a strong cordon had to be established, he said.
He said it would be premature to elaborate on the “lessons learnt” till the National Investigation Agency probe was over. “How the terrorists got in despite the intelligence is being looked into by the NIA,” the Army Chief said.
According to him, the terrorists used “gaps along the Punjab border” to enter the country and he termed the drug smuggler conduits helping terrorists as “treason”.
General Suhag also defended the government’s move to send in the NSG. “Instead of moving the NSG later, it was wise to take preemptive action to send the elite unit in advance. The NSG is ideally trained to tackle hostage situations,” he said.
Refusing to comment on Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s warning of a payback for those who had harmed India, General Suhag said: “The Army is ready to carry out any task.” On the kind of military option he would prefer, he said: “It’s the decision of the government.”
On being asked if the Pathankot attack and the attack on the Indian Consulate at Mazaar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan was an attempt of the Pakistan Army at derailing the peace talks, the Army Chief said: “It has done it number of times in the past. I am not saying in this (Pathankot) connection.”
“A hotline between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and China is being set up,” said the Army Chief, adding that another border personnel meeting point was being discussed with China in the central sector – Himachal and Uttarakhand.
At a press conference in the National Capital, General Suhag said the Army was not under anybody’s command except the western Army Commander – Lt Gen KJ Singh.
His statement assumes significance as retired Army officers had been questioning as to why the Army, the last resort of the nation, was put under the command of the National Security Guard, a force governed by the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is also being questioned as to who was in command of the Indian forces after they were deployed to tackle the January 2 terror attack.
“As far as the Army is concerned, it was not under anybody’s command. It was under the Western Army Commander who was monitoring and controlling the operations on my behalf,” General Suhag said.
The Army Chief also said “there was no lack of coordination, and there was complete synergy”. One of the focus areas was to ensure the safety of assets (planes and helicopters at the IAF base) and families at the attack site, for which a strong cordon had to be established, he said.
He said it would be premature to elaborate on the “lessons learnt” till the National Investigation Agency probe was over. “How the terrorists got in despite the intelligence is being looked into by the NIA,” the Army Chief said.
According to him, the terrorists used “gaps along the Punjab border” to enter the country and he termed the drug smuggler conduits helping terrorists as “treason”.
General Suhag also defended the government’s move to send in the NSG. “Instead of moving the NSG later, it was wise to take preemptive action to send the elite unit in advance. The NSG is ideally trained to tackle hostage situations,” he said.
Refusing to comment on Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s warning of a payback for those who had harmed India, General Suhag said: “The Army is ready to carry out any task.” On the kind of military option he would prefer, he said: “It’s the decision of the government.”
On being asked if the Pathankot attack and the attack on the Indian Consulate at Mazaar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan was an attempt of the Pakistan Army at derailing the peace talks, the Army Chief said: “It has done it number of times in the past. I am not saying in this (Pathankot) connection.”
“A hotline between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and China is being set up,” said the Army Chief, adding that another border personnel meeting point was being discussed with China in the central sector – Himachal and Uttarakhand.
