LAHORE – Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad on Thursday warned that India’s incumbent government can carry out a surgical strike inside Pakistan in 2019 to appease his far-right constituents before next general election in 2019, local media reported.
Addressing a press conference, the minister said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), faced defeat in three states during recently held elections.
He added that Modi can conduct such an attack to distract people and get political gains ahead of the general elections in India.
The BJP lost power in the states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh this month, energizing the main opposition Congress party, which defeated Modi’s part in the offices. Recent electoral losses in traditional strongholds put it on the back foot before the general elections.
In 2016, India had made a false claim of launching ‘surgical strikes’ on ‘terror launch pads across the LoC. However, Pakistan categorically rejected Indian claims and announced to have captured an Indian soldier the same day.
Despite repeated efforts by the incumbent Pakistani government to normalise relations with India, ties between the two South Asian arch-rivals hit a fresh low after India recently withdrew from a planned meeting between the foreign ministers of both countries on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session.
Talking to media about the Supreme Court ruling in Royal Palm case, the railways minister said that the apex court had given a landmark verdict, adding that no one can build housing societies on railways land.
He further said that cargo trains will be launched with private partnership, adding that railways deficit can only be overcome by running cargo trains.
