Home Minister Amit Shah to visit Ladakh on August 17, his first after abrogation of Article 370: Sources

Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Ladakh’s Leh on August 17, according to the sources. This will be Shah's first visit after government abrogated Article 370 and declared Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh as separate Union Territories.

Earlier, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh visited the forward locations in Ladakh sector on Friday and reviewed operational preparedness there, officials said.

He was briefed by Lieutenant General Y K Joshi, the General Officer Commanding Fire and Fury Corps, on the operational preparedness being maintained in the sector to deal with any threat to national security.

Lieutenant General Singh also met and interacted with troops deployed on the forward posts and complimented them for their dedication and tenacity in these challenging conditions, officials said.

Appreciating the high standard of operational preparedness, Lieutenant General Singh said that he has no doubt that any misadventure by the enemy will get a befitting response.

He urged the troops to uphold the highest standards of professionalism of the Indian Army and live up to the motto of 'Nation First'.

Earlier this week, the Centre revoked special status to Jammu and Kashmir accorded under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Following the move, Pakistan on Wednesday expelled Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria as part of its decision to downgrade the diplomatic ties with India over what it called New Delhi's "unilateral and illegal" move on Jammu and Kashmir.