Defence Ministry To Brief Parliamentary Panel On Surgical Strikes Next Week

New Delhi: Top brass of the Defence Ministry will next week brief the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence on the surgical strikes carried out by Indian special forces in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

Amid speculation that the Defence Ministry has expressed reservations on sharing details of the strikes with lawmakers, parliamentary sources said the panel is unlikely to push for seeking details beyond what is already in public domain. The Army has already gone on record about the strikes across LoC.

The committee was to meet today but the meeting has been postponed to October 14. The agenda, however, remains unaltered -- "Briefing by the representatives of the Ministry of Defence on surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC)."

Amid reports that the Defence Ministry is apprehensive about sharing details, a BJP member in the panel said the meeting was postponed as some members were not available in Delhi. On their request, the meeting was rescheduled.

A senior Congress leader, who is also part of the committee, said he would not like to speculate on suggestions that the ministry is not ready to share details. "Like media, we cannot speculate. The meeting on the subject is on October 14," he said.

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The meeting comes against the backdrop of demands that the government should present proof about the cross-LoC raids to counter the smear campaign by Pakistan.

The demand has triggered a raging debate on whether the proof should be provided or not.

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The BJP and experts are against disclosing details of the operation by the Special Forces. But Opposition believes video proof will help counter Pakistan's claim that there was no strike by Indian Army across LoC.