- Says vessel was not deployed to maintain peace
- Tensions remain high between the two nuclear-armed neighbors
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy said on Tuesday that it had thwarted an Indian submarine’s attempt to infiltrate the country’s waters at a time when tensions continue to remain high between the two South Asian, nuclear-armed neighbors.
“Pakistan Navy thwarted every effort of Indian submarine to avoid the detection. To maintain peace, the Indian submarine was not targeted which reflects Pakistan’s desire for peace,” a spokesman said in the statement.
According to Pakistan, this was the second instance of an Indian submarine being detected since November 2016.
The statement added that India should learn from this incident and work toward peace. “The Pakistan Navy used its specialized skills to ward off the submarine, successfully keeping it away from entering Pakistani waters,” the statement added.
Tensions along the border have remained high since February 14 when a suicide bomber killed at least 40 paramilitary troopers in the Pulwama district of Indian-administered Kashmir, with New Delhi maintaining that the attack was carried out by a Pakistan-based militant outfit, Jaish-e-Mohammad. Pakistan denies the allegations.
The incident led to both the countries indulging in airstrikes resulting in Pakistan capturing an Indian Air Force pilot on February 27.
While Islamabad decided to release Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on March 1 as a peace gesture, Pakistan’s armed forces continue to remain vigilant.