IAF strike in Balakot exposed Pakistan's 'nuclear bluff', says Arun Jaitley

The strikes carried out by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest terror camp in Pakistan’s Balakot has “exposed” Pakistan’s “nuclear bluff”, said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday.

“India fought and won conventional wars against Pakistan in 1965, 1971 and during the Kargil conflict. Since then, Pakistan's army has realised that because of our huge economy and superior military strength, conventional wars cannot be won,” IANS quoted Jaitley as saying at India TV’s “Aap Ki Adalat” programme.

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Pakistan army then chose two options – one, fighting a proxy war with the help of terrorists, and two, projecting a nuclear bluff, he said.

“Since both the countries are armed with nuclear weapons, the nuclear bluff was their second option. But it has been exposed this time,” the finance minister said.

The Finance Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken India's policy vis-a-vis Pakistan a bit further.

"Till now, Pakistan's policy was to send terrorists to carry out attacks, while our policy was to be defensive. Modiji has brought a small change in that. While we will continue to defend, we will also attack the main sources of terrorism. The 2016 surgical strike was our first step, and the latest air strikes were the second," he said.

Jaitley also hit out at the opposition for questioning the damage inflicted to Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps in IAF strike, saying that details of operations carried out by armed forces are never shared anywhere in the world.

"The army or the air force doesn't share operational details in public anywhere in the world. The US carried out attack in Abbotabad (Pakistan), killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, took his body away and threw it into the ocean. No operational details were shared," he said.

Jaitley said it was unfortunate that some opposition leaders were indulging in foolish politics.

"They are unknowingly becoming witnesses for the Pakistan government. I feel people of India will teach them a lesson for raising the TRPs of Pakistani news channels, which are telecasting their statements. These leaders will have to face the wrath of the people in India," Jaitley said.

He also attacked Congress leader Kapil Sibal who had questioned the success of the IAF air strike, saying "it was unfortunate that such leaders are in public life".