It's time terrorism should be tackled effectively, says Baloch activist

World Baloch Women's Forum (WBWF) president and prominent Baloch activist Professor Naela Quadri Baloch on Tuesday heaped praises on the Indian government for conducting aerial strikes on a major terror camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Pakistan, saying that it is time that terrorism should be effectively addressed.

In a video message, Baloch said, "I would like to congratulate India regarding the airstrike. Finally, the Indian government took action and gave a befitting reply (to Pakistan). Pakistan cannot deny this strike. The terror groups operating on Pakistani soil is against humanity."

The Baloch activist added that although India has been taking strong actions against terrorism, she alleged that it is the Pakistani military which is backing and nourishing these outfits.

"The people of Baloch are with the people of India and just like India, Balochistan is also suffering due to the terrorists operating in Pakistan," Baloch added.

She further outlined that "everyone is realising the fact that it is the time to fight terrorism effectively rather than asking Pakistan to address the global menace."

Sending out a huge message, India, today carried out air strikes deep inside Pakistan, destroying a major camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and eliminating a "large number" of terrorists, including top commanders, of the terror group which attacked CRPF convoy in Pulwama 12 days back.

In the swift operation, launched at around 3.30 am and completed within minutes, 12 Mirage-2000 fighter jets pounded the training centre, housing around 300 terrorists, in Balakot area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with six bombs while SU-30 combat aircraft maintained air superiority to ward off any retaliation by the Pakistan Air Force, sources said.

The camp, located in a forest area atop a hill, was headed by JeM chief Masood Azhar's brother-in-law Yusuf Azhar alias Ustad Gauri, who was involved in the 1999 hijack of Indian Airlines plane IC-814 and was on Interpol lookout notice since 2000.

The casualty figure of the terrorists is very high as the JeM had shifted its entire cadre to this camp from the launching pads along the Line of Control (LoC), fearing surgical strike-type response from India in the aftermath of Pulwama attack, sources said about first such action by India.

A large number of Jaish terrorists, including top commanders, trainers and those terrorists who were to be the 'fidayeen' (suicide attackers) were eliminated in the "non-military" air strike, India's Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told the media while officially disclosing information about the air strike, hours after the action.

Gokhale said the "pre-emptive" strike by India had become absolutely necessary as there was credible information that JeM, which recently carried out terror attack in Pulwama, was planning further attacks in this country.