The IAF’s Western Air Command chief Air Marshal Amit Dev on Wednesday, while recounting the course of history, expressed the hope that one day Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will also join India to form one Kashmir as they were not being treated fairly by the Pakistanis.
However, he said there was no plan at the moment to carry out such a move to unite the two parts of Kashmir.
The Air Marshal was talking to reporters at an event in Srinagar to mark the 75th anniversary of Indian troops landing in the city’s Budgam airport in in October 1947 to push back Pakistani invaders who had entered the territory.
“All the activities which were carried out by the Indian Air Force and the Army on October 27, 1947 resulted in ensuring the freedom of this part of Kashmir. I am sure that someday, the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will also join this part of Kashmir and we will have the whole of Kashmir in the years to come,” news agency PTI cited the Air Marshal as saying.
“People on both sides have common attachments. Today or tomorrow, history is witness, that nations come together. We do not have a plan at the moment, but, God willing, it will always be there because people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are not being treated very fairly by the Pakistanis,” he added.
Asked about the challenge of drone attacks from across the border, Air Marshal Dev said they can inflict minimal damage only.
He said the IAF had equipment to tackle the threat and it was deployed in Kashmir as well, while more such equipment was also being procured to strengthen the defence.
“The drone challenge is a small challenge and we will be able to deal with that challenge as and when it comes,” he explained.
The Air Marshal said the basic challenge that the IAF faces is that “the rate of change of technology is so fast in the world today that we have to keep pace with that.” But this is a challenge that all countries are facing.
“Any nation which has to grow economically has to have a strong military …and we are always ready for the challenge. The IAF has become a very capable force,” he added.
Recounting the events of October 1947 he said “After the instrument of accession with India was signed by Maharaja Hari Singh , we moved in our troops quickly and Srinagar airfield was saved and thereafter we launched further offensives and pushed the Pakistani military, which came disguised as Kabalis (tribals), further back.
"I am sure if the UN had not intervened, perhaps, the entire Kashmir would have been ours,” he said.
He explained that the IAF and the Army also carried out many other missions including the operations in Poonch after an airstrip was laid there in a mere seven days. Attacks were also carried out on an ammunition dump at Skardu, and in Leh against the intruders.
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