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The IAF&rsquo;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.&nbsp;</p>
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However, he said there was no plan at the moment to carry out such a move to unite the two parts of Kashmir.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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The Air Marshal was talking to reporters at an event in Srinagar to mark the 75th anniversary of Indian troops landing in the city&rsquo;s Budgam airport in in October 1947 to push back Pakistani invaders who had entered the territory.</p>
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&ldquo;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,&rdquo; news agency PTI cited the Air Marshal as saying.</p>
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&ldquo;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,&rdquo; he added.</p>
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Asked about the challenge of drone attacks from across the border, Air Marshal Dev said they can inflict minimal damage only.</p>
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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.</p>
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&ldquo;The drone challenge is a small challenge and we will be able to deal with that challenge as and when it comes,&rdquo; he explained.</p>
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The Air Marshal said the basic challenge that the IAF faces is that &ldquo;the rate of change of technology is so fast in the world today that we have to keep pace with that.&rdquo; But this is a challenge that all countries are facing.</p>
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&ldquo;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,&rdquo; he added.</p>
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Recounting the events of October 1947 he said &ldquo;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.</p>
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&quot;I am sure if the UN had not intervened, perhaps, the entire Kashmir would have been ours,&rdquo; he said.</p>
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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.</p>
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<strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/kashmir-news/india-will-only-talk-to-kashmiri-youth-not-pakistan-amit-shah-123751.html">India will only talk to Kashmiri youth, not Pakistan–Amit Shah</a></strong></p>
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