Army be given free hand to take appropriate action against Pakistan: AK Antony

NEW DELHI: Terming beheading of Indian soldiers as a “barbaric and heinous act”, former defence minister AK Antony has called upon the Centre to give the Army a free hand to retaliate as per its assessment and timing.

Maintaining that during the 10-year tenure of the erstwhile UPA government “just one similar incident” took place, but the then government left it to the Army to give a fitting reply, “which our Army did effectively and by defending its self-respect”, Antony said he was concerned over many such provocative and indefensible acts by the Pak Army against the Indian soldiers in the past three years.

“Pakistan Army’s act of beheading Indian soldiers is a heinous and barbaric act that has also exposed the lack of self-respect of the Pakistani Army. The government should give freedom to our Army to retaliate as per the Army’s assessment and timing and in a manner that will also enhance Indian Army’s self-respect.”