Pak has no right to advise on Indian troop movements: Antony

New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Rubbishing Pakistan's "advice" for
de-activating ground and air troops in forward areas, India
Friday said it has no right to give any such suggestion and
pointed out that 330 terror outfits are still active in
that country.

Maintaining that India has done no escalation and the
armed forces were only doing their duty, Defence Minister A K
Antony said there is "no noticeable change" in the attitude of
Pakistan and Indian forces will have to remain alert.

"I do not think there is any noticeable change in the
attitude of Pakistan. Statements are not important. Actions
are important. They have to prove by their action," Defence
Minister A K Antony told reporters here on the sidelines of a
Defence Ministry function.

"More than 330 terrorist outfits are still operating in
Pakistan, there is no improvement or any change in attitude,"
Antony said responding to questions from reporters.

To a question on Pakistan's suggestion that India should
withdraw ground troops and de-activate forward air
bases, he said Islamabad has no right to give any such advice.

"Nobody will tell us, after 26/11 we must be prepared to
meet any eventuality. It is our duty," he asserted.

"Armed forces are doing their duty. They are not
escalating anything. They are not doing any power projection.
They are doing their duty. They have to be fully prepared to
meet any challenge from any quarter, any threat from any
quarter," Antony said.

"We are not escalating the issues. There is no unusual
troop movement on our side. Whatever is taking place, the
exercise and others, is normal only," Antony said, underlining
that the Indian troops had to remain alert always.

"They (armed forces) are not lowering their guard. They
are in a state of full preparedness. We cannot relax anytime.
We must not lower our guard, we have to be fully prepared to
meet any challenge, any threat, any eventuality," he said.

However, there was no time limit that India had given
Pakistan to act. "There is no time limit. Only thing left is
for them -- to act," Antony said.

On the Coastal Command, the Defence Minister said the
proposal would come up before the Cabinet Committee on
Security anytime now for approval.

"A formal Coastal Command is in the process (of being set
up). Already, we have entrusted major responsibilities to the
Coast Guard. At the same time Navy, State coastal police,
Central Excise, Customs and Shipping Ministry are now becoming
pro-active," he said.

Providing the much needed hope to the 1.5-million
defence personnel on their pay-related anxieties, Antony said
the process of addressing the "anomalies" would continue.

However, he said the government had addressed two major
demands. "The long-pending demand for a separate pay
commission for armed forces is a major step. The impact may
not be immediate. Here after, the armed forces pay commission
will be delinked from the civilian services," he said.

Antony said the government had accepted the demand for
restoring the pensionary benefits for the jawans and by and
large had taken care of Lieutenant Colonels.
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