Political instability in Pak responsible for ceasefire violations: Praful Bakshi

Defence expert Praful Bakshi on Sunday held the political instability in Islamabad responsible for the increasing ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and alleged that Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif was making desperate attempts to improve his reputation so that he gets an extension.

Commenting on the Indian Army's retaliation to Pakistani multiple attacks along the LoC and the international border, Bakshi said the surgical strikes have unnerved the establishment in Islamabad.

"The tension between India and Pakistan has increased after the Uri strike where we lost 17 brave soldiers. After that we conducted surgical strikes and the surgical strikes unnerved Pakistan. Pakistan's political situation is such that their Prime Minister is not on stable political grounds," he added.

The defence expert held the Pakistan Army Chief responsible for the increasing cross border infiltration.

"Raheel Sharif, the Army Chief, is going to retire. He is seeking an extension and he has got the stigma on himself of facing the surgical strikes of the Indian forces. He wants to improve his image. Probably he wants an extension and for that he conducted these raids on close to 50 to 60 border forces," said Bakshi.

"Our forces retaliated in the most appropriate manner, in the right manner, in the sense, that they gave them a solid reply," he added.

The Indian Army on Saturday launched retaliatory fire assaults at Pakistan Army positions, inflicting massive damage across the border by destroying four posts across the LoC in Keran Sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district.

The Indian forces retaliated after Pakistani Rangers violated ceasefire repeatedly in Kathua and RS Pura sector along the International Border on Saturday. A Border Security Force (BSF) soldier was killed in Pakistani firing in Machil Sector.

An Indian soldier was also killed on Friday and his body was mutilated by terrorists in an attack near the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

The army has said "the incident will be responded to appropriately", adding the attackers had fled into Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir under the cover of heavy firing by the Pakistan Army.