India Pakistan highlights: Congress questions PM Modi on Trump's ceasefire claims

Home minister Amit Shah has left from PM Modi's residence after attending the CCS meeting there.

Bhola Nath Shaw, father of returned BSF Jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw, told ANI, "I thank Centre & State Govt who got my son released from Pakistan and brought him back to India...Now that my son is coming back, I would like him to serve the country once again."

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah who visited the areas hit by Pakistani shelling said that the situation in Uri, Tangdhar, Rajouri and Poonch is same.

"Our civilian areas were attacked. It seemed as if the efforts were made to involve more and more civilians. Right now, the ceasefire is prevailing," he told news agency ANI.

"Currently, there is peace in the border regions. We are trying to reach all the areas that are affected. We are doing the assessment of all the damage done...Again, bunkers are a topic of discussion," he added.

Abdullah further said, "For several years, we were not in need of bunkers. Now, the people have demanded individual bunkers, not community ones. We will arrange bunkers for all the regions affected by the shelling...We did not start this war. Our innocent people were attacked in Pahalgam. If the guns are not fired from that side, our guns will also not fire."

Rajani Shaw, wife of BSF Jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw who was returned to India by Pakistani Rangers on Wednesday, expressed happiness over her husband's return and thanked PM Modi.

Speaking to news agency ANI, she said, "I am very happy today. We received a call from an officer in the morning...My husband also video-called me. He is physically fit. He told me to not be tense, that he is fine, and that he would call me at 3 pm...I spoke with her (CM) 3-4 days back, she told me to not be tense and that my husband would be back this week. She too was speaking with the BSF officers...I had everyone's support, the entire country was standing with me."

"So, thank you to everyone with folded hands - my husband could return to India due to all of you...Everything is possible if there is PM Modi. When Pahalgam attack occurred on 22nd April, he avenged everyone's 'suhag' within 15-20 days through #OperationSindoor. 4-5 days later, he brought back my 'suhag'. So, I would like to fold my hands and extend heartfelt gratitude," she added.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale said that Operation Sindoor has shaken Pakistan and thanked PM Modi for this step.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Athawale said, "I thank PM Narendra Modi for taking this big step. Pakistan was infiltrating for many years, and firing was always going on in Kashmir. Operation Sindoor has shaken Pakistan...Our army has taught them a lesson. If Pakistan keeps doing such acts again and again, it will be answered...If Pakistan wants peace, then they should end terrorism and hand over PoK to us."

Delhi minister Majinder Singh Sirsa, while speaking to news agency ANI, said, "The Indian army has destroyed Pakistan to such an extent that it is wailing in front of the whole world. They get breathless when they start counting the number of their terrorists killed by us. The Indian army has destroyed them permanently. First, their missiles were Chinese, which would be futile if they were tried to be launched, and if they were launched, India would shoot them down."

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Operation Sindoor and the backing given to the armed forces, saying that the nation never had such a PM.

Speaking to reporters in Thane, Shinde said, "Pakistani terrorists wiped off the 'sindoor' of our sisters, in Pahalgam. They were given a befitting reply through #OperationSindoor. The Operation has been successful...PM Modi has said 'Wahan se goli chalegi, yahan se gola chalega'."

"So, I express gratitude to all three services of the country as well as PM Narendra Modi. The PM backed the jawans of our armed forces and supported the sentiments of the countrymen. We had never had such a Prime Minister," he added.

UP cabinet minister Danish Azad Ansari, speaking to news agency ANI, said, "Through Operation Sindoor, we have sent a big message to Pakistan and terrorism...It is unprecedented. We are all proud of our armed forces, and this 'Tiranga yatra' is a medium to express that pride...We thank the armed forces with this 'Tiranga Yatra'. We are grateful to our armed forces and PM Modi...India has shown its capability to emerge as a strong nation."

The 'X' handle of Turkish broadcaster 'TRT World' has been withheld in India.

Earlier in the day, the X account of Chinese mouthpiece Global Times was withheld over disinformation on military strikes against Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security at his residence at Lok Kalyan Marg. 

BSF Jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw (centre) with other soldiers at Attari border after he was returned to India by the Pakistan rangers.

Shaw had been in Pakistan's custody since April 23.

Security forces killed three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in an encounter in Shukroo forest area of South Kashmir's Shopian district's Keller region on Tuesday.

Under Operation Keller, the forces recovered massive cache of arms and ammunition recovered in the operation.

General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, along with General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff, Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, and Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, called on President Droupadi Murmu and briefed her about Operation Sindoor.

Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah is on a visit to the Pakistani shelling-hit areas of Uri's Salamabad region.

On the continued abeyance on the Indus Water Treaty, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, "PM said this earlier as well that blood and water won't flow together. In his address to the nation, the day before yesterday too, he said that blood and water won't flow together."

"Despite 1965 war, 1971 war and Kargil war, India honoured the treaty. But now, the message is clear - now India won't compromise over this. Now, India's interests won't be toyed with. Indus Water Treaty has been suspended. We have stopped data sharing with them. Every drop of India's share of water will stay in India. Government is committed to this," he told news agency ANI.

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw heaped praise for PM Modi's leadership in the success of Operation Sindoor and said that the nation has decided to rewrite the rulebook on "counter terrorism".

"The massacre in Pahalgam was not just an attack on innocent lives--it was an assault on India's conscience. In response, India decided to rewrite the rulebook on counter-terrorism. Operation Sindoor is the Modi government's clearest articulation of a zero-tolerance, no-compromise policy to safeguard national security, the Modi's doctrine", Ashwini Vaishnaw's blog post for PIB read.

Pakistan Rangers, who had taken custody of BSF Jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw since April 23, have handed over the soldier to India through the Joint Check Post at Attari border, Amritsar.

A press release from the Punjab Frontier of BSF said that the handover was conducted peacefully and in accordance with established protocols.

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and that of nation first are parts of PM Modi's work culture.

"The policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and the policy of nation first are parts of PM Modi's work culture, the entire country and world know this. Those who cast an evil eye on India and any activity against India - be it from the soil of India or operated from somewhere outside India, ye naya Bharat ghar mein ghus kar maarega," he told news agency ANI.

"It won't tolerate this...PM's message that there will be no mediation by anyone and there won't be any talk on any matter besides PoK, I think this is the strongest reply by India in decades. I believe that the manner in which action has been taken against terrorists and the message that India has sent across, those who are working against India will not dare to do so even in their dreams," he added.

The ‘X’ handle of China's Global Times has been withheld in India a week after the central government warned the media outlet over its ‘disinformation’ on military strikes against Pakistan. 

After India expelled a Pakistani high commission staffer, Islamabad declared a staff member of the Indian high commission 'persona non grata' for allegedly engaging in activities what it called were "incompatible" with his privileged status.

The official has been directed to leave within 24 hours.

"The Government of Pakistan has declared a staff member of the Indian High Commission, Islamabad, as persona non grata for engaging in activities incompatible with his privileged status," a statement from the Pak ministry of foreign affairs said.

At the Headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff, CDS General Anil Chauhan, along with Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Air Force chief Air Marshal AP Singh gave a direct insight into the successful conduct of Operation Sindoor.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonwalla said that the Congress-led INDI alliance wants to give a clean chit to Pakistan in Pahalgam terror attack.

"Today, the entire nation is paying its respect to the armed forces of India for Operation Sindoor being successfully executed through Tiranga Yatra. PM Modi has gone to the Adampur Air Base and raised the spirits of the armed forces. At that time, instead of standing with our forces, you can see 'saboot gang' is activated once again...The armed forces have given the visual evidence of how the terror camps were struck," he told news agency ANI.

He added, "High-quality footage is available, yet the armed forces' version is questioned. This is the same (political) party which mocked the armed forces during the surgical strike, questioned the Balakot airstrike...This shows the INDI alliance has only one objective, to give Pakistan a clean chit in Pahalgam, to echo their narrative, and raise questions on forces."

BJP leader Praveen Khandelwal said, "India has always supported world peace and played a leading role in maintaining it. But if someone raises questions or attacks on India's unity, integrity, security, and sovereignty, then India will not remain silent. PM Modi has said this clearly many times. Now the world knows, if sovereignty of the nation is attacked, then India will give a befitting reply."

Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said that by comparing India and Pakistan, US President Donald Trump had spoken against the country.

"On one hand, we have the intelligent India, and on the other, a nonsensical country with nonsensical leaders whose control has been taken away by the Pakistani army. Donald Trump hopes continuously making such statements will win him the Nobel Peace Prize," she added.

Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab's Adampur air base and said that he has exposed the rumours spread by Pakistan through its media.

"PM Narendra Modi has exposed the rumours spread by Pakistan through its media, the Army Chief, and the DGMO, that Pakistan has attacked the Adampur Air Base... Now the question is whether Asim Munir and Shehbaz Sharif will be able to land in any of their air bases, as the Indian armed forces have destroyed them through Operation Sindoor," she told news agency ANI.