'Pakistan will pay for this misadventure': Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunjwan Army Camp attack

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said “Pakistan will pay” for the terrorist attack on Sunjwan Army Camp in Jammu in which 6 people including a civilian and five soldiers lost their lives.

“The terrorists belonged to the Jaish-e-Mohammad Tanzeem, sponsored by Azhar Masood, residing in Pakistan and deriving support from therein. The terrorists had chosen to attack a military station which housed both troops and families of the Indian Army,” Sitharaman said.

“All evidences which have been collected are now being compiled and, definitely, these will be given, as always, to Pakistan. Yet Pakistan, in spite of being given dossier after dossier, has not taken any action,” she told reporters in Jammu.

Not stating any timeline for the action against Pakistan, the Defence Minister said, "Pakistan will pay for this misadventure. I repeat, Pakistan will pay for it."

“we will be providing evidence to prove that the handlers are back in Pakistan and they are the mastermind, influencing all this.

“That does not deny us our right to respond adequately and at a time we think fit. I state that Pakistan will pay for this misadventure,” She added.

A group of heavily armed men stormed the Sunjwan Army Camp of the 36 brigade of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry before dawn on February 10. Five Army men, including two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), and a civilian were killed in the attack.

Pakistan, however, denied having hand in the attack and “warned” India against crossing Line of Control (LoC) for another surgical strike.

"It is a well-established pattern that Indian officials begin making irresponsible statements and levelling unfounded allegations, even before a proper investigation in an incident has been initiated," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We hope that the international community would urge India to stop the untold atrocities and gross violations of human rights in Kashmir (and) refrain from any misadventure across the Line of Control..." it added.