Blasts at Jammu IAF base: Use of drones suspected; 2 suspects detained

[MenInG]

Jammu: At around 1:27 am on Sunday, an explosion ripped off the roof of a building at the technical area of the Jammu airport manned by the Air Force. Five minutes later, another blast was reported at the high-security area.

The second blast, at 1:32 am, occurred in an open area.

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel have suffered minor injuries in the explosions, news agency ANI mentioned sources as saying.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is in Ladakh today to review operations preparedness of the force, spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal HS Arora regarding the blasts at the Station.

The Jammu airport is located near Satwari, 6 km from Jammu Tawi railway station, 110 km from the Pathankot airport and 1 km from National Highway 1.

Blast in Jammu
A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrived at the Air Force Station, Jammu.

As per Times Now, two suspects have been taken into custody and are being questioned. The Jammu and Kashmir Police have reportedly lodged an FIR under Sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Initial inputs suggest that shaped charge (explosive device) used for the explosions: Sources to ANI

A high-level investigation team of the IAF will reach Jammu shortly. News agency ANI has mentioned sources as saying that the possible target of the drones was the aircraft parked in the dispersal area.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal HS Arora regarding the explosions at Air Force Station in Jammu. Air Marshal Vikram Singh is reaching Jammu to take stock of the situation: Defence Minister's Office

Commander-in-chief of the Indian Air Force's Western Air Command, Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, is likely to visit the spot later today.
ANI also cited sources as saying that two drones were used to carry out the explosions near the Jammu airbase.

News agency ANI mentioned sources as saying that a high-level meeting involving senior police and Indian Air Force officials took place at the Air Force Station after the explosions.

Later, the Indian Air Force tweeted that "two low-intensity explosions were reported early Sunday morning in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station. One caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area." In another tweet, the IAF said: "There was no damage to any equipment. Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies."

Security forces sealed the area within minutes.

Earlier today, a Defence spokesperson said, “There were reports of an explosion inside Air Force Station Jammu. There is no injury to any personnel or any damage to any equipment. The investigation is on and further details are awaited.”

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/...-air-force-station-what-we-know-so-far/776458

 

[OMB]

Police register FIR under UAPA after blasts in Jammu IAF station

The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is also at the station for investigation.

The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after two low-intensity explosions took place at the Jammu Air Force Station on Sunday, news agency ANI reported quoting officials. The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is also at the station for investigation, it also reported. A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) also arrived at the Air Force Station earlier in the day.

This comes after director-general of police in J&K, Dilbag Singh termed the blasts 'a terror attack,' as per PTI report. The police, Indian Air Force (IAF) and other agencies were investigating the attack, PTI reported Singh as saying.

Two IAF personnel were injured when two explosives-laden drones crashed into the station around 1.40am. The blasts took place within six minutes of each other. The first blast ripped off the roof of a single-storey building at the technical area of the airport manned by the IAF in Satwari area of the city. The second one was on the ground.

According to a report by ANI, a shaped charge (explosive device) was used for the attack, initial probe suggests.

After the twin explosions, Union minister of defence, Rajnath Singh spoke to vice air cief, air marshal HS Arora, earlier in the day. He also informed the officials at the station that marshal Vikram Singh would soon be reaching Jammu to take stock of the situation.

Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who is in Bangladesh on an official invitation, is also monitoring the situation constantly, the news agency also reported.

Meanwhile, Jammu airport officials said that all flight operations are normal and 16 flights scheduled for the day departing to Delhi, Srinagar, Leh and Gwalior. Only two flights G8 185 and SG 963 cancelled for the day due to operational reasons.

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?301613-Blasts-at-Jammu-IAF-base-Use-of-drones-suspected-2-suspects-detained

 

[King_Kohli]

Jammu: After terror attack at IAF base, two drones hovered over military area but Army chased them away

The latest incident comes barely a day after a drone, in a first-of-its-kind strike, dropped two bombs at Indian Air Force (IAF) station in Jammu, causing minor injuries to two personnel.

Jammu: A day after a drone dropped two bombs at Indian Air Force (IAF) station in Jammu, two separate drone activities were reported over a military area here in the city, said officials on Monday.

As soon as the drones were spotted, an Army sentry opened fire at them, forcing them to fly away.

Lt Col Devender Anand, PRO Defence, confirmed that two separate drone activities were spotted in Ratnuchak- Kaluchak military area in the outskirts of Jammu on the intervening night of June 27 and 28.

Upon the sighting of drones, a high alert was sounded and Quick Reaction Teams (QRT) engaged them with firing, forcing the drones to fly away, he added.

Lt Col Anand went on to add, "A major threat thwarted by the alertness and proactive approach of troops. Security forces are on high alert and search operation is in progress."

Nothing objectionable has been found on the ground so far, the sources said.

The latest incident comes barely a day after a drone, in a first-of-its-kind strike, dropped two bombs at Indian Air Force (IAF) station here, causing minor injuries to two personnel.

In another incident, the Jammu and Kashmir police on Sunday arrested an alleged terrorist belonging to the Resistance Force, a frontal group of Lashkar-e-Taiba and seized a 5.5-kg-IED from his possession.

Jammu's Senior Superintendent of Police Chandan Kohli identified the arrested accused as Nadeem-ul-Haq, a resident of Zainhal-Banihal in Ramban and said with his arrest, a major tragedy has been averted.

Haq was in contact with his handlers in Pakistan and south Kashmir Shopian, the SSP said.

The SSP said Haq was given the task to trigger the blast by the Resistance Force, a frontal group of Lashkar-e-Taiba, by planting the IED at some crowded place.

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/jammu-two-drones-spotted-over-ratnuchak-kaluchak-military-area-security-forces-put-on-high-alert/776902

 

[MenInG]

A day after two explosive-laden drones crashed into the Indian Air Force (IAF) station at Jammu airport coinciding with the visit of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to the Union Territory, India raised concerns of “the use of weaponised drones for terrorist activities” allegedly by Pakistan.

The possibility of the use of weaponised drones for terrorist activities against strategic and commercial assets calls for serious attention by the member states, India told the UN General Assembly on Monday.

“Today, misuse of information and communication technology such as internet and social media for terrorist propaganda, radicalisation and recruitment of cadre; misuse of new payment methods and crowd-funding platforms for financing of terrorism; and misuse of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes have emerged as the most serious threats of terrorism and will decide the counter-terrorism paradigm going forward,” VSK Kaumudi, Special Secretary (Internal Security) at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said.

Speaking at the ‘Global scourge of terrorism: assessment of current threats and emerging trends for the new decade’, he said that the use of drones is yet “another add-on to existing worries”.

“Being a low-cost option and easily available, utilisation of these aerial/sub-surface platforms for sinister purposes by terrorist groups such as intelligence collection, weapon/explosives delivery and targeted attacks have become an imminent danger and challenge for security agencies worldwide… The possibility of the use of weaponised drones for terrorist purposes against strategic and commercial assets calls for serious attention by the member states. We have witnessed terrorists using UAS to smuggle weapons across borders,” a statement issued by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN quoted his as saying at the 2nd High Level Conference of the Head of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of the member states in the UNGA, according to news agency PTI.

An attempt to attack a military installation using weaponised drones was thwarted by an alert Indian Army at the Ratnuchak-Kaluchak station after they fired at the unmanned aerial vehicles just hours after the IAF station reported the first terror attack using quadcopters.

The first drone was spotted around 11:45 pm on Sunday, followed by another at 2:40 am over the military sentry that had witnessed a terror attack in 2002 in which 31 people, including 10 children, were killed. The IAF attack is the first such instance of suspected Pakistan-based terrorists deploying drones to strike at India’s defence installations.

“It is imperative for countries to adopt a multi-pronged approach to tackle the global threats emanating out of misuse of new technologies particularly aiming towards terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism. This will certainly divide us and weaken our fight against terrorism,” Kaumudi said.

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/...es-india-seeks-serious-attention-of-un/777416

 

[OMB]

Drones again: Spotted over military areas outside Jammu city

Sources said the drone was spotted thrice at Ratnuchak-Kunjawani areas — first around 1:08 am at Ratnuchak, then at 3:09 am and 4:19 am near Kunjwani.

A day after the Army “thwarted a major threat” by opening fire at drones flying over the Kaluchak-Ratnuchak military stations near Jammu city, the flying machine was spotted again in the area, during the early hours of Tuesday.

Sources said the drone was spotted thrice at Ratnuchak-Kunjawani areas — first around 1:08 am at Ratnuchak, then at 3:09 am and 4:19 am near Kunjwani. The area was immediately cordoned off.

However, there has been no official confirmation from the Army so far.

On Monday, the Army had said drones were sighted flying out over the Kaluchak-Ratnuchak military stations the previous night. “A major threat was thwarted by the alertness and proactive approach of troops. The security forces are on high alert and a search operation is in progress,’’ Army PRO Lt Colonel Devender Anand had said.

The drone sightings come after a blast at the Air Force Station in Jammu, suspected to have been carried out by a drone. On the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, two explosive devices were airdropped through drones at the Air Force Station, injuring two persons and damaging the roof of a building, sources have said.

The airdropping of weapons and contraband through flying machines from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab is not new, with several such cases reported over the past two years. However, the drone activity over defence installations in areas on the outskirts of Jammu city has come as a surprise, sources said.

For the Sunday blast, the police have registered a case under provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Meanwhile, the Union home ministry has transferred investigations to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is likely to register a fresh FIR.

Teams of NIA and the National Security Guard (NSG) bomb disposal squad have been in Jammu since Sunday. Police and security forces too have been conducting searches in areas around the Air Force Station.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/drones-again-spotted-over-military-areas-outside-jammu-city-7380839/

 

[Bhaijaan]

The terrorism must stop.

 

[OMB]

Three more sightings of drones in Jammu; security agencies on alert

Drones have been sighted in the Union Territory every day this week since the drone attack at the Indian Air Force Station in Jammu in the early hours of Sunday.

Drones were spotted at three places on the outskirts of Jammu city on Tuesday night and in the early hours of Wednesday, keeping the police and other security agencies on tenterhooks.

Sources said the first drone was sighted at 9.23 pm Tuesday night at Miran Sahib. The second and third drones were sighted in Kaluchak and Kunjwani areas at 4.40 am and 4.52 am, respectively, on Wednesday.

Drones have been sighted in the Union Territory every day this week since the drone attack at the Indian Air Force Station in Jammu in the early hours of Sunday.

On Tuesday morning, a drone was sighted over Ratnuchak, Kaluchak and Kunjwani areas. The previous day, on Monday, the Army claimed to have spotted drones flying over Kaluchak and Ratnuchak military stations and opened fire at them, making them fly away.

Army PRO Lt Colonel Devender Anand had said Monday that “a major threat was averted by the alertness and proactive approach of troops”. He added that security forces were on high alert.

However, in the last three days, security forces have not been able to locate a single drone despite searches in several areas.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-drones-sightings-air-force-attaack-security-forces-alert-7382248/

 

[Lego20]

Again exposes the incompetence of our establishment and the continued ascendancy of our adversaries.
- Intelligence failure
- Gaps in Air defence
- lack of preparedness, reaction plan and means.

A 5 year old could have predicted this coming - This was quite naturally the perfect next modality for our enemy - precision, asymmetric (high reward to risk) terror strikes with complete deniability and zero collateral damage.

 

[MenInG]

The Foreign Office (FO) categorically rejected on Wednesday Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy's statement regarding an alleged drone attack in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and termed it “irresponsible and misleading”.

“Pakistan calls upon India to refrain from its reprehensible propaganda campaign as no amount of Indian falsehoods can succeed in diverting attention from India’s serious crimes in IIOJK,” the FO said in a press release.

The communique added that while conveniently choosing not to share any evidence, the Indian government had once again levelled serious allegations against Pakistan.

“This is yet another manifestation of the unsubstantiated propaganda and smear campaign against Pakistan that is characteristic of the Indian government and an obliging Indian media,” the statement added.

The FO further said that this was a familiar Indian ploy to externalise any blame, use baseless allegations against Pakistan as a smokescreen, and seek to undermine the indigenous struggle for self-determination of the Kashmiri people.

“The latest allegations further confirm what Pakistan has consistently pointed out that the BJP government stages “false flag” operations to malign Pakistan with terrorism-related allegations for narrow political gains,” the press release stated.

The use of the Pakistan card, either to win an election or to divert attention from an electoral defeat, had also, unfortunately, become standard practice, the FO concluded.

 

[OMB]

Drone spotted over Indian mission in Islamabad, New Delhi lodges formal protest

The drone was seen within the complex at a time when an event was being held at the mission, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity on Friday

A drone was spotted over the Indian high commission complex in the Pakistani capital over the weekend, prompting New Delhi to formally protest to Islamabad over what is being seen as a security breach.

The drone was seen within the complex at a time when an event was being held at the mission, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity on Friday. Further details were not immediately available.

India lodged a formal protest over the incident through a note verbale or unsigned diplomatic correspondence, the people cited above said.

The Indian mission is located within the fortified diplomatic enclave in Islamabad, across a key road that runs in front of Pakistan’s Foreign Office. A residential complex for staffers of the mission is located a short distance from the high commission.

The entire diplomatic enclave is heavily guarded by Pakistani security forces and there is another layer of security near the Indian mission.

The incident in Islamabad coincided with the drone attack on an Indian Air Force base at Jammu on June 27 – the first-ever offensive use of unmanned aerial vehicles to target an Indian military facility.

While the IAF has officially confirmed that two low-intensity explosions took place in the technical area of Jammu air force station, senior officials and experts said the attack appeared to have been carried out using drones and marked a new chapter in Pakistan’s proxy war against India in Jammu and Kashmir.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had raised the issue of drones being used by terrorists at the recent meeting of NSAs of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Doval had specifically referred to the need to monitor new technologies used by terrorists including drones for smuggling of weapons.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/drone-spotted-over-indian-mission-in-islamabad-new-delhi-lodges-formal-protest-101625214287530.html

 

[Technics 1210]

Those tanks and fighter jets purchased by India - down the swanny.

 

[King_Kohli]

Islamabad rebuffs Delhi’s claim about drone spotted over Indian embassy

Pakistan rejects these patently false allegations and diversionary Indian tactics, says FO spokesperson

ISLAMABAD:
Islamabad has rebuffed New Delhi’s claims that a drone was spotted over the Indian High Commission in the federal capital last week and termed the reports as “propaganda campaign”.

“We have seen the Indian MEA’s [Ministry of External Affairs] statement and reports in certain sections of the Indian media alleging a drone flying over the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said in a statement on Friday.

These preposterous claims have no basis in facts and no proof whatsoever has been shared with Pakistan to substantiate these allegations, the spokesperson added.

Also read: Pakistan terms Indian minister's statement on IIOJK drone attack 'irresponsible'

He also referred to last month’s Lahore blast, saying that propaganda campaign by India is also happening at a time when evidence so far collected is “increasingly pointing to external forces with a history of perpetrating state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan”.

A foreigner identified as David Paul was taken into custody at the Lahore airport on June 25 in connection with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) blast in the city’s Johar Town area in which four people died and 20 others, including women and children sustained injuries.

“Pakistan rejects these patently false allegations and diversionary Indian tactics and will continue to stand by the people of Indian Iellgally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in their just struggle for the right to self-determination, as enshrined in the UNSC resolutions,” the statement read.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2308469/islamabad-rebuffs-delhis-claim-about-drone-spotted-over-indian-embassy

 

[MenInG]

The Indian attempts to blame Pakistan for what appears to be a choreographed “drone attack” on an air force base in Jammu city of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have fallen flat as the entire drama began to unravel.

The “drone stunt” is consistent with previous Indian attempts to stage false flag operations as part of its strategy to take the spotlight off its internal issues, to malign Pakistan globally, and to discredit an indigenous freedom movement in IIOJK that it has failed to quell.

Senior analysts, who have examined the supposed evidence, statements, and media coverage from the other side of the border, believe that India’s latest attempt to blame Pakistan has failed miserably on all fronts. New Delhi’s reputation, they say, has taken another drubbing after it was unable to present evidence to substantiate its claims.

When reviewed, the sequence of events that followed the “drone stunt” on June 27, it transpired that New Delhi was aiming to pin the blame on Islamabad, even before an investigation was launched.

The Frontalforce, an account that claims to be reporting on conflicts and current affairs has deleted the postThe Frontalforce, an account that claims to be reporting on conflicts and current affairs has deleted the post

Moments after the incident, Dilbagh Singh, the local police chief, came out accusing “Pakistan-based terror groups” of the attack. Within hours, Mukesh Singh, the additional director of police, parroted the same line, adding that it was an attempt to disrupt the political process in IIOJK.

While these statements were being amplified, and the Indian government claimed that the “explosions” were so intense that they could be heard within a radius of two kilometres, the media pulled the plug on the narrative by reporting no blast was heard and no flying object was seen over the area.

From this point on, the Indian government intensified its efforts to weave a narrative that portrayed Pakistan as the sole aggressor and projected the incident as a repeat of the 2016 Pathankot attack.

A series of tweets from the Indian defence minister and the air force accounts further show how the investigation, which so far has revealed no evidence, was being shaped in a manner that paints Pakistan in a negative light.

Media reports from Delhi said the government had instructed the National Investigation Agency to prepare a dossier like one made after the Pulwama attack and then BJP leaders went on a tirade against Islamabad.

While the probe is still under way, Union Minister of State for Home affairs G Kishan Reddy declared that Pakistan's role cannot be denied in the attack that was orchestrated through drones.

Without presenting any evidence, the minister then went on to say: “Pakistan is dropping AK-47s and drugs inside the border at night-time through drones. Our security forces have stopped many drones from entering the Indian side. Drones seen inside our land have been destroyed.”

The minister’s claims of the destroyed drone have not been substantiated by the Indian government.

The events in the run-up to the so-called drone attack are telling. On June 23, a bomb went off in the proximity of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed’s residence in Lahore.

The next day, India’s national security advisor says at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) that “there is a need to monitor new techniques used by terrorists, including drones for smuggling of weapons and misuse of the dark web, artificial intelligence, block chain and social media”.

Within days of the said incident, on June 29, the Indian government also took its case to the UNGA. “Weaponised drones are being used for terrorist purposes against strategic and commercial assets,” Delhi told the main deliberative, policy-making, and representative organ of the United Nations.

For the Modi government, the campaign did not end at the UNGA. On June 30, roughly three days after the attack, Delhi directed the National Security Guard (NSG) to deploy an anti-drone system at Jammu airbase – the system is a combination of a radio frequency detector and soft jammers.

Top security and foreign policy experts who have analysed Delhi’s behaviour during this latest episode, say the Modi government appears to have orchestrated the attack to achieve several strategic goals.

“Let’s assume the attack took place. Drone technology used by militaries is very sophisticated and they can create casualties. The technology, we have been told was used, is commonly available and accessible to anyone,” said senior defense analyst Maj Gen (retd) Inamul Haq.

In the wake of the June 26 incident, India’s security agencies have claimed that seven unmanned aerial vehicles have been spotted hovering over military stations in Jammu. The narrative and the threat, Gen Haq said, was being amplified to build a case for India to expedite the induction of niche technologies, without the bureaucratic hurdles it faced when it cut the controversial deal to acquire Rafale jets built by France’s Dassault. The multi-billion-dollar deal has long been mired in corruption allegations and the prime minister remains at the centre of the scandal.

“When you connect the dots, India appears to be the sole beneficiary in this episode. Whether it is the victim syndrome or anything else, there is only one beneficiary – and that is India,” he said.

“India needs this distraction for domestic consumption, and it needs it for the international audience to support its narrative against Pakistan,” explained Gen Haq. However, he said that the international audience appears to be fatigued with India’s repeated attempts to paint Pakistan as a rogue state.

Value of the narrative

According to Dr Talat Wizarat, a noted scholar of International Relations, India’s reputation and credibility have taken a serious hit due to its repeated attempts to paint Pakistan as a country that exports terrorism. “New Delhi is an expert at weaving this narrative and conducting false flag operations.”

The so-called attack on the air force base, she said, has been choreographed in the way that it maligns Pakistan’s reputation. “Are we surprised about the timing? It is a deliberate attempt to paint Pakistan in a negative light and sabotage our chances of getting off the Financial Action Task Force grey list,” she explained.

Despite making progress on 26 out of 27 items of the financial watchdog’s action plan, Pakistan was kept on the increased monitoring list following a five-day plenary meeting last month.

“Don’t forget that Western countries are also trying to corner Pakistan for its alliance with China. They want to impose economic sanctions and India’s narrative is a perfect fit for their playbook,” said Dr Wizarat.

Dr Wizarat said India’s narrative kills more than one bird. “On the domestic front, Modi has failed completely in controlling the pandemic, the country’s economy is collapsing, and the prime minister wants to suppress any chances of peace in Kashmir,” she said.

The Indian prime minister, she explained, is going to use the attack to suppress political support for the restoration of Article 370, a 70-year-old provision that had given some autonomy to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The trouble with Modi’s mind-set is that he feels that he can gain mileage by amplifying the threat from Pakistan. I am beginning to feel that this gimmick may not work anymore. My advice to Modi is to act like a responsible leader, invest India’s resources in controlling the pandemic, and the free fall of the country’s economy.”

Modi, the foreign policy expert said, needs to look inwards and that will help him gain some political mileage at home. “Focusing his energies on maligning Pakistan’s reputation or hurting Pakistan’s soft image will not help the Indian leader who is struggling for his political survival,” cautioned Dr Wizarat.

FATF pressure

For as long as Prime Minister Modi has been in power, Delhi has been trying to hammer Islamabad’s soft image. By creating a particular profile of its nuclear neighbour, India aims to isolate Pakistan in the region and at all global forums. So far, experts say, that hasn’t happened.

Delhi, according to Dr Shahida Wizarat, Dean College of Economics and Social Development, Institute of Business Management, is doing someone’s bidding in the region. “The West needs a reason to keep Pakistan under pressure and India continues to provide them with that reason by accusing us of terrorism.”

However, she said, even in the West there is a growing debate about the credibility of these claims by Delhi. Based on flimsy evidence, these actions, she said, are aimed to put Pakistan in a defensive position.

“By keeping Pakistan on the FATF grey list, they keep the pressure on us. If Pakistan makes it to the whitelist, then that pressure is released and if we end up being on the blacklist, the West will have nothing to use against us,” she explained.

Express Tribune

 

[Lego20]

Thanks for sharing. So looks like it was again a false flag operation by Indian govt to bomb its own air base. Pure evil.

 

[IAJ]

Thanks for sharing. So looks like it was again a false flag operation by Indian govt to bomb its own air base. Pure evil.

Modi is evil. Nothing surprising here.

 

[King_Kohli]

Islamabad rebuffs Delhi’s claim about drone spotted over Indian embassy

Islamabad has rebuffed New Delhi’s claims that a drone was spotted over the Indian High Commission in the federal capital last week and termed the reports as “propaganda campaign”.

“We have seen the Indian MEA’s [Ministry of External Affairs] statement and reports in certain sections of the Indian media alleging a drone flying over the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said in a statement on Friday.

These preposterous claims have no basis in facts and no proof whatsoever has been shared with Pakistan to substantiate these allegations, the spokesperson added.

He also referred to last month’s Lahore blast, saying that propaganda campaign by India is also happening at a time when evidence so far collected is “increasingly pointing to external forces with a history of perpetrating state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan”.

A foreigner identified as David Paul was taken into custody at the Lahore airport on June 25 in connection with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) blast in the city’s Johar Town area in which four people died and 20 others, including women and children sustained injuries.

“Pakistan rejects these patently false allegations and diversionary Indian tactics and will continue to stand by the people of Indian Iellgally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in their just struggle for the right to self-determination, as enshrined in the UNSC resolutions,” the statement read.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2308469/islamabad-rebuffs-delhis-claim-about-drone-spotted-over-indian-embassy

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Thanks for sharing. So looks like it was again a false flag operation by Indian govt to bomb its own air base. Pure evil.

Perhaps the years of lack of terror coming from Pakistan has forced drastic action? Pakistan never had anything to gain from antagonising India, most of the noise has been coming from the other direction, particularly under the current rule in India.

 

[IMMY69]

Perhaps the years of lack of terror coming from Pakistan has forced drastic action? Pakistan never had anything to gain from antagonising India, most of the noise has been coming from the other direction, particularly under the current rule in India.

Then you have Pakistanis that say the Army does this to remain legitimate and increase its coffers.

So I thought I would perk up before they come in rushing..
Every army in every country in the world will strive to remain strong and they don't need to provoke an enemy to gain legitimacy

 

[Napa]

The Indian attempts to blame Pakistan for what appears to be a choreographed “drone attack” on an air force base in Jammu city of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have fallen flat as the entire drama began to unravel.

The “drone stunt” is consistent with previous Indian attempts to stage false flag operations as part of its strategy to take the spotlight off its internal issues, to malign Pakistan globally, and to discredit an indigenous freedom movement in IIOJK that it has failed to quell.

Senior analysts, who have examined the supposed evidence, statements, and media coverage from the other side of the border, believe that India’s latest attempt to blame Pakistan has failed miserably on all fronts. New Delhi’s reputation, they say, has taken another drubbing after it was unable to present evidence to substantiate its claims.

When reviewed, the sequence of events that followed the “drone stunt” on June 27, it transpired that New Delhi was aiming to pin the blame on Islamabad, even before an investigation was launched.

The Frontalforce, an account that claims to be reporting on conflicts and current affairs has deleted the postThe Frontalforce, an account that claims to be reporting on conflicts and current affairs has deleted the post

Moments after the incident, Dilbagh Singh, the local police chief, came out accusing “Pakistan-based terror groups” of the attack. Within hours, Mukesh Singh, the additional director of police, parroted the same line, adding that it was an attempt to disrupt the political process in IIOJK.

While these statements were being amplified, and the Indian government claimed that the “explosions” were so intense that they could be heard within a radius of two kilometres, the media pulled the plug on the narrative by reporting no blast was heard and no flying object was seen over the area.

From this point on, the Indian government intensified its efforts to weave a narrative that portrayed Pakistan as the sole aggressor and projected the incident as a repeat of the 2016 Pathankot attack.

A series of tweets from the Indian defence minister and the air force accounts further show how the investigation, which so far has revealed no evidence, was being shaped in a manner that paints Pakistan in a negative light.

Media reports from Delhi said the government had instructed the National Investigation Agency to prepare a dossier like one made after the Pulwama attack and then BJP leaders went on a tirade against Islamabad.

While the probe is still under way, Union Minister of State for Home affairs G Kishan Reddy declared that Pakistan's role cannot be denied in the attack that was orchestrated through drones.

Without presenting any evidence, the minister then went on to say: “Pakistan is dropping AK-47s and drugs inside the border at night-time through drones. Our security forces have stopped many drones from entering the Indian side. Drones seen inside our land have been destroyed.”

The minister’s claims of the destroyed drone have not been substantiated by the Indian government.

The events in the run-up to the so-called drone attack are telling. On June 23, a bomb went off in the proximity of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed’s residence in Lahore.

The next day, India’s national security advisor says at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) that “there is a need to monitor new techniques used by terrorists, including drones for smuggling of weapons and misuse of the dark web, artificial intelligence, block chain and social media”.

Within days of the said incident, on June 29, the Indian government also took its case to the UNGA. “Weaponised drones are being used for terrorist purposes against strategic and commercial assets,” Delhi told the main deliberative, policy-making, and representative organ of the United Nations.

For the Modi government, the campaign did not end at the UNGA. On June 30, roughly three days after the attack, Delhi directed the National Security Guard (NSG) to deploy an anti-drone system at Jammu airbase – the system is a combination of a radio frequency detector and soft jammers.

Top security and foreign policy experts who have analysed Delhi’s behaviour during this latest episode, say the Modi government appears to have orchestrated the attack to achieve several strategic goals.

“Let’s assume the attack took place. Drone technology used by militaries is very sophisticated and they can create casualties. The technology, we have been told was used, is commonly available and accessible to anyone,” said senior defense analyst Maj Gen (retd) Inamul Haq.

In the wake of the June 26 incident, India’s security agencies have claimed that seven unmanned aerial vehicles have been spotted hovering over military stations in Jammu. The narrative and the threat, Gen Haq said, was being amplified to build a case for India to expedite the induction of niche technologies, without the bureaucratic hurdles it faced when it cut the controversial deal to acquire Rafale jets built by France’s Dassault. The multi-billion-dollar deal has long been mired in corruption allegations and the prime minister remains at the centre of the scandal.

“When you connect the dots, India appears to be the sole beneficiary in this episode. Whether it is the victim syndrome or anything else, there is only one beneficiary – and that is India,” he said.

“India needs this distraction for domestic consumption, and it needs it for the international audience to support its narrative against Pakistan,” explained Gen Haq. However, he said that the international audience appears to be fatigued with India’s repeated attempts to paint Pakistan as a rogue state.

Value of the narrative

According to Dr Talat Wizarat, a noted scholar of International Relations, India’s reputation and credibility have taken a serious hit due to its repeated attempts to paint Pakistan as a country that exports terrorism. “New Delhi is an expert at weaving this narrative and conducting false flag operations.”

The so-called attack on the air force base, she said, has been choreographed in the way that it maligns Pakistan’s reputation. “Are we surprised about the timing? It is a deliberate attempt to paint Pakistan in a negative light and sabotage our chances of getting off the Financial Action Task Force grey list,” she explained.

Despite making progress on 26 out of 27 items of the financial watchdog’s action plan, Pakistan was kept on the increased monitoring list following a five-day plenary meeting last month.

“Don’t forget that Western countries are also trying to corner Pakistan for its alliance with China. They want to impose economic sanctions and India’s narrative is a perfect fit for their playbook,” said Dr Wizarat.

Dr Wizarat said India’s narrative kills more than one bird. “On the domestic front, Modi has failed completely in controlling the pandemic, the country’s economy is collapsing, and the prime minister wants to suppress any chances of peace in Kashmir,” she said.

The Indian prime minister, she explained, is going to use the attack to suppress political support for the restoration of Article 370, a 70-year-old provision that had given some autonomy to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The trouble with Modi’s mind-set is that he feels that he can gain mileage by amplifying the threat from Pakistan. I am beginning to feel that this gimmick may not work anymore. My advice to Modi is to act like a responsible leader, invest India’s resources in controlling the pandemic, and the free fall of the country’s economy.”

Modi, the foreign policy expert said, needs to look inwards and that will help him gain some political mileage at home. “Focusing his energies on maligning Pakistan’s reputation or hurting Pakistan’s soft image will not help the Indian leader who is struggling for his political survival,” cautioned Dr Wizarat.

FATF pressure

For as long as Prime Minister Modi has been in power, Delhi has been trying to hammer Islamabad’s soft image. By creating a particular profile of its nuclear neighbour, India aims to isolate Pakistan in the region and at all global forums. So far, experts say, that hasn’t happened.

Delhi, according to Dr Shahida Wizarat, Dean College of Economics and Social Development, Institute of Business Management, is doing someone’s bidding in the region. “The West needs a reason to keep Pakistan under pressure and India continues to provide them with that reason by accusing us of terrorism.”

However, she said, even in the West there is a growing debate about the credibility of these claims by Delhi. Based on flimsy evidence, these actions, she said, are aimed to put Pakistan in a defensive position.

“By keeping Pakistan on the FATF grey list, they keep the pressure on us. If Pakistan makes it to the whitelist, then that pressure is released and if we end up being on the blacklist, the West will have nothing to use against us,” she explained.

Express Tribune

Yeah, all attacks on India according to “experts and senior analysts” are false flags including 26/11.

And other countries believe Pakistan over India but ironically Pakistan gets $0.2 billion FDI compared to $80 billion for India from Western multinationals.

 

[IMMY69]

Yeah, all attacks on India according to “experts and senior analysts” are false flags including 26/11.

And other countries believe Pakistan over India but ironically Pakistan gets $0.2 billion FDI compared to $80 billion for India from Western multinationals.

You're finally starting to make some sense.
Well done

 

[MenInG]

Days after two explosive-laden drones crashed into the high security Indian Air Force station at Jammu airport, forensic experts have said a mixture of RDX and Nitrate was used in the IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices).

Officials part of the investigation told News18 that the first IED which went off at 1:37am had a mixture of 1.5 kg RDX and a nitrate compound while the second IED had more ball bearings. “The first IED it seems was manufactured to cause infrastructural damage while the second one was anti-personnel,” an official said.

According to sources, IEDs are sophisticated and seem to have been manufactured by an ordnance factory. “The plan it seems was that the first IED would damage the helicopters while the second one would maim and kill IAF personnel once they gathered,” an officer said. He added, “This kind of sophistication can’t be the work of a tanzeem like Lashkar or Jaish alone."

NIA suspects that Pakistani ISI and Rangers could have carried out the blast using Lashkar e Taiba as a front. However, officials acknowledged that so far there is no direct evidence. “The mobile tower and internet data dump is being studied. Leads are expected,” sources said.

Two pre-programmed drones carried two IEDs according to the initial investigation.

Anti Drone System

While investigations are on to locate the Jammu conspirators, the Centre has also given the go ahead to procure the anti-drone technology. Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Industry Security Force (CISF) have been tasked with procuring the anti-drone systems for the almost 3,500 km-long International Border and the civilian airports.

“We have identified vital installations and they will be secured first. It is not possible to install the anti-drone system across the 3,500 kilometre border. It is expensive also,” a BSF officer said.

The National Security Guard (NSG) has already deployed its anti-drone guns at Jammu airports. “The NSG team checked the efficacy of its anti-drone systems at Jammu. Drones were flown and were detected. While small drones were detected by the radar at a 3 km distance the medium-sized drones were detected at a 5 km distance," an official aware of the drill told news18.

Paramilitary forces are focusing on both hard kill and soft kill. Laser guns, net catchers and radio frequency jammers are all being procured, officials said.

News18

 

[King_Kohli]

Jammu terror bid: Security forces shoot down drone carrying 5 kg payload; probe reveals parts ‘Made in China’

This is the second time in two consecutive days that alert security forces have intercepted drones near military installations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu: Alert Indian security forces once again thwarted a massive terror bid by Pakistan-backed terrorist groups from across the Line of Control after an explosives-laden drone was shot down in Jammu area.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police informed that the drone, reportedly carrying 5 kilograms of improvised explosive device (IED), was shot down in Kanachak area of Akhnoor.

“We had deployed a team near Akhnoor based on specific information. Around 1 am, a drone was detected. When it was lowered to drop payload, police team started firing and shot it down. The payload weighing around 5 kg was IED in an almost prepared condition. It was a Hexacopter with a flight controller and GPS. Interestingly, the serial number of the flight controller is a digit different from the drone which was found in Kathua last year. This drone is an assembled one with some parts from China, others from Taiwan,” Mukesh Singh, ADGP Jammu zone, said.

KEY HIGHLIGHTSOn July 16, another drone was spotted near the Jammu Air Force Station but was immediately brought down by the anti-drone defence system deployed by the National Security GuardAfter the Jammu air force base attack on June 27, the frequency of drone sightings in the area has increased considerably
Jammu: Alert Indian security forces once again thwarted a massive terror bid by Pakistan-backed terrorist groups from across the Line of Control after an explosives-laden drone was shot down in Jammu area.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police informed that the drone, reportedly carrying 5 kilograms of improvised explosive device (IED), was shot down in Kanachak area of Akhnoor.

“We had deployed a team near Akhnoor based on specific information. Around 1 am, a drone was detected. When it was lowered to drop payload, police team started firing and shot it down. The payload weighing around 5 kg was IED in an almost prepared condition. It was a Hexacopter with a flight controller and GPS. Interestingly, the serial number of the flight controller is a digit different from the drone which was found in Kathua last year. This drone is an assembled one with some parts from China, others from Taiwan,” Mukesh Singh, ADGP Jammu zone, said.


Singh further said that payload is usually dropped by using a string from drones and in this incident, the string was found with a similar pattern to drop the bomb crater at the airport.

“This confirmed that it was dropped using a drone. We have recovered 16 AK47 rifles, 3 M4 rifles, 34 pistols, 15 grenades, 18 IEDs and Rs 4 lakh cash in the last 1.5 years sent via drone sorties,” Singh added.

KEY HIGHLIGHTSOn July 16, another drone was spotted near the Jammu Air Force Station but was immediately brought down by the anti-drone defence system deployed by the National Security GuardAfter the Jammu air force base attack on June 27, the frequency of drone sightings in the area has increased considerably
Jammu: Alert Indian security forces once again thwarted a massive terror bid by Pakistan-backed terrorist groups from across the Line of Control after an explosives-laden drone was shot down in Jammu area.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police informed that the drone, reportedly carrying 5 kilograms of improvised explosive device (IED), was shot down in Kanachak area of Akhnoor.

“We had deployed a team near Akhnoor based on specific information. Around 1 am, a drone was detected. When it was lowered to drop payload, police team started firing and shot it down. The payload weighing around 5 kg was IED in an almost prepared condition. It was a Hexacopter with a flight controller and GPS. Interestingly, the serial number of the flight controller is a digit different from the drone which was found in Kathua last year. This drone is an assembled one with some parts from China, others from Taiwan,” Mukesh Singh, ADGP Jammu zone, said.


Singh further said that payload is usually dropped by using a string from drones and in this incident, the string was found with a similar pattern to drop the bomb crater at the airport.

“This confirmed that it was dropped using a drone. We have recovered 16 AK47 rifles, 3 M4 rifles, 34 pistols, 15 grenades, 18 IEDs and Rs 4 lakh cash in the last 1.5 years sent via drone sorties,” Singh added.


This is the second time in as many days that security forces have intercepted drone activity in Jammu and Kashmir after another unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was spotted in Satwari area on Wednesday.

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/jammu-massive-terror-bid-thwarted-by-security-forces-after-explosive-laden-drone-shot-down-in-kanachak-area/789040

 

[MenInG]

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan Rangers regarding drone activities in Jammu during Sector Commander Level meeting held at Suchetgarh.

During the meeting, the BSF delegation focused on drone and terror activities by Pakistan from across the border, digging of tunnels by Pakistan and other issues on border management.

The meeting took place at the request of Pakistan Rangers and various issues were discussed.

This was the first meeting after the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan and both sides committed to maintaining peace and harmony at the international border.

The BSF delegation was led by Surjit Singh, DIG, Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers delegation was led by Brigadier Murad Hussain, Sector Commander Pakistan Rangers, Sialkot Sector.

On Friday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police averted a cross-border terror plot by shooting down a drone carrying improvised explosive device (IED) material weighing 5 kg.

Following information about a drone flying over the border belt of Kanachak along the International Border (IB), a quick reaction team (QRT) of the police swung into action and shot it down in the early hours.

According to the PTI, the drone was carrying a payload of five-kg IED material in a semi-assembled state and only wires had to be connected to it to trigger a blast.

On Monday, Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh had directed officers to remain extra alert as terror outfits are continuously trying to use drones for terrorist activities.

Last month, a drone attack took place on the Jammu Air Force base. Two Indian Air Force personnel suffered minor injuries in the explosions that took place at around 2 am.

To tackle the new challenge, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and other agencies are working together to develop an indigenous counter-drone technology that will be available soon.

Making the announcement, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Union government has given all the support to anti-drone research and development projects.

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/...rangers-over-drone-activities-in-jammu/789757

 

[PakLFC]

Obviously the Indian occupational forces are unable to really do anything to stop these attacks.