Defence Minister Sitharaman slams 'dastardly attack of cowardice' in Sunjwan, says Pakistan will pay for JeM's 'misadventure'

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called Saturday's terrorist strike on the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu a "dastardly attack of cowardice," and offered condolences to the families of the five military personnel who were martyred.

Sitharaman confirmed that the terrorists responsible for killing those men, as well as one civilian, were from the Pakistani group Jaish-e-Mohammed, led by Masood Azhar. "Pakistan will pay for this misadventure," she told reporters at a press briefing in Jammu.

Intelligence inputs show that the terrorists were being controlled by handlers across the border, and the evidence was being scrutinised by the National Investigation Agency, she said.

The defence minister said all the evidence would be given to Islamabad. However, she noted that Pakistan hadn't taken any action despite being given "dossiers after dossiers."

The evidence against Pakistan is very clear and solid, and India's response to them will be of its choice of time and place, she said.

J-K CM BRIEFS DEFENCE MINISTER

Sitharaman earlier received a briefing from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Mufti today pitched afresh for a dialogue between India and Pakistan to end the violence in the restive state.

Sitharaman's press briefing came on a day when a CRPF constable was killed in a gunfight with terrorists in downtown Srinagar, after security forces foiled militants attempts to strike a CRPF camp.

The Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba claimed responsibility for the attack.