MUZAFFARABAD, PAKISTAN/SRINAGAR, INDIA An Indian minister said on Saturday the government would not share proof that"a very large number" of militants were killed in air strikes inside Pakistan this week, after doubts were raised there were any casualties in the attack.
Indian warplanes carried out air strikes on Tuesday last week inside north-east Pakistan's Balakot on what New Delhi called militant camps. Islamabad denied such camps existed, as did villagers in the area. Nevertheless, Pakistan retaliated on Wednesday with its own aerial mission. Pakistan said the Indian bombs hit a hillside without hurting anyone. Some Indian opposition leaders have asked the government to share evidence of the strikes.He said:"The Armed Forces must have, and our security and intelligence agencies must have, a full leeway in dealing with situations..."
Indian Air Force officials said it was up to the political leaders to decide whether to release evidence of the strike.