CCS to meet Thursday later

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely on Thursday evening to take stock of the situation as tension escalated between India and Pakistan.

An Union Cabinet meeting is also slated for 6.30 p.m. Both meetings are scheduled to take place at the Prime Minister's residence.

Sources said that the CCS at the 7, Lok Kalyan Marg will discuss steps to bring back an Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot, who was captured by Pakistan on Wednesday.

Islamabad had also issued a video on social media of an interview with Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the pilot. India, however, was yet to confirm his name officially.

The tension between India and Pakistan escalated following the February 14 Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir by the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror outfit, which claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)troopers.

India carried out a "non-military pre-emptive attack" on the JeM's biggest terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot in a pre-dawn air strike on Tuesday that led to dogfights between the IAF and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday.

--IANS

rak/ps/in/mag