Minimal damage proves preparations of forces: Defence Minister

Defence Minister Syed Naveed Qamar on Thursday said that the death toll of the militants and the minimal damage caused to the Kamra Airbase was clear evidence of the preparations of the security forces.

While speaking to the media hours after militant attacked PAF Airbase in Kamra, the minister said the forces were active to avoid combat any such incidents.

Earlier, a joint operation carried out by security forces killed at least eight militants who attacked during the base during the early hours of Thursday.

He noted, “The security of the air force was alert to retaliate in case of a possible attack and they did. We challenged the militants on different parameters, in which one of our soldiers who was posted at the security tower was martyred”.

The minister confirmed that the attackers had suicide vests clasped around them and were equipped with automatic weapons.

The assailants attacked the base with an intention of having do or die battle but the security forces were managed to kill all the militants, he added.

Naveed Qamar also confirmed that a plane was also destroyed in the attack. However, he didn’t release any specifications of the destructed plane.

He further said that the actual number of terrorist involved in the raid could be ascertained after thorough investigation. He, however, confirmed that no live militant was arrested during the operation.

Replying to a query about intelligence failure, the defence minister made it clear that such attacks could only be defended to a certain extent, adding that the base is located in an urban residential area which always poses a threat of a possible penetration.

He observed, “It is not easy to move such big complexes that are built with massive investments. However, the idea of sifting the complex will be reviewed”.

Commenting about the security steps taken after Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had threatened to attack military bases, he said, “Everyone did what they were supposed to do. The security forces challenged the militants and eliminated them. These are actually what you call security steps.”

The base is home to the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex that assembles Mirage and, with Chinese support, JF-17 fighter jets. It has previously come under attack twice, once in 2007 and then in 2009.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Aug 16 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.