July 12, 1999
New Delhi

Operation Vijay has been a resounding success. Pakistani forces have been defeated on the ground and status quo ante on the Line of Control in the Kargil sector is being restored. Almost the entire sub-sector Batalik and the sub-sector Dras have been cleared of Pakistani aggression in the last 48 hours. Pakistani armed intruders comprising overwhelmingly of their regular troops and some extremist elements under their command and control have been evicted. The pressure of our decisive military action in the other two sub-sectors of Mushkoh valley and Kaksar was also proving unbearable for the Pakistani army.

Pakistan being faced with the inevitable, their DGMO called his Indian counterpart on the evening of 9th July. He sought an early meeting. Our DGMO suggested that the meeting be held at the Border Security Force Reception Hall, on our side of the Joint Check Post, at Attari on Amritsar - Lahore Road on the 11th afternoon. Our DGMO also informed him that we expected Pakistan would begin withdrawing its troops from the Kaksar Sub-sector even before this meeting, and that this withdrawal will be completed by 12th morning.

During his meeting with the Pakistani DGMO yesterday our DGMO informed him that Pakistani forces must withdraw well north of the Line of Control by the morning of the 16th of July. The Pakistani DGMO said that Pakistan would comply with this schedule.

Our DGMO also informed the Pakistani DGMO that any Pakistani intruder, thereafter found within our side of the Line of Control, would be treated as hostile and would be dealt with accordingly.

The withdrawal of Pakistani forces from Kaksar appears to already have taken place. Our troops are proceeding to verify this withdrawal. We have information that the withdrawal of Pakistani forces in Mushkoh valley is also under way.

This withdrawal of Pakistani forces has been brought about by the skill, determination and valour of our armed forces, who rolled back Pakistan's aggression from Kargil, even while conforming to government's direction that the sanctity of the Line of Control be maintained.

Our forces have not de-escalated their action, nor has any dis-engagement taken place. The Indian army is not impeding by fire the retreat of Pakistani forces. After this withdrawal has been completed, we expect that Pakistan will reaffirm the inviolability and sanctity of the Line of Control. The continuance of cross border terrorism in the State of Jammu & Kashmir is a clear violation of the Line of Control and must be abandoned by Pakistan.

Pakistan has persisted with its claim that those who occupied the Kargil heights were "Mujahideen". It is abundantly clear by now that the overwhelming majority of those who crossed over from Pakistan in the Kargil sector were Pakistani troops in pursuit of a misadventure, fully planned and conducted by the Pakistani authorities. The presence of Pakistani regulars is borne out by the evidence that our forces have collected in the form of identity cards of regular troops, official army documents, personal letters and photographs and the nature of Pakistani weaponry in the posts recaptured by our troops.

It is also tragic that the Pakistan army has refused to accept the bodies of their regular troops who died in action against our forces in the Kargil sector. Our forces have buried the Pakistani dead in accordance with military custom.