July 11, 1999

I have been directed by the Chief of the Army Staff to make an important announcement. I wish to inform you ladies and gentlemen that in Drass and Batalik sub sectors almost all enemy positions have now been cleared barring one or two heights which are almost on the line of  control.

1. These two sub sectors of critical tactical importance are thus free of enemy interference. The Indian army now controls these two sub sectors fully.

2. The success of these ground operations has come about by determined, well coordinated and deliberately planned actions. These joint opertaions by the army and air force are an out standing example of joint-man-ship and have resulted in speeding up ground operations, reducing own casual ties and inflicting undesirable damage on the enemy and has impacted on his will to fight.

3. I have no hesitation in stating that what the Chief of Army Staff had hinted at two days ago of the crumbling of enemy’s resistance has indeed taken place in these two sectors.

4. As for Kaksar and Mushkoh valley, our appreciation is that this military reverse in Drass and Batalik sectors has destroyed enemy morale and tenability of occupation of positions in these two areas.

5. It is our appreciation that a decisive moment has arrived and we expect an early completion of operations in Kargil.  I do not wish to give it a time frames as yet.

6. We have made the enemy pay a heavy prince for this misadventure in Kargil. We have recovered the enemy dead on various positions the details of which have already been intimated to you earlier. for me, as a soldier, it is a matter of great regret to state that the enemy has abandoned the bodies of their soldiers in this manner in addition, as has been communicated to Pakistan bodies of three Pakistan army officers, viz Major Iqbal and Capt Kamal Sheikh (12 nothern light infantry) and Lieutenant Imtiaz Malik of 165 mortar regiment, have also been recovered. They will be buried in accordance with military customs and with due regard to the honour of a fallen soldier.

7. We have suffered a fair number of casual ties in these operations because of the fierce hand to hand engagements that our gallant soldiers had to face, as well as enemy ground and artillery fires. The ratio of our officers to men casual ties bears testimony to the fact that our officers have proved that we have the best leadership any army can aspire to have and they have led from the front.

8. On behalf of the armed forces therefore, I wish to highlight that the task mandated to the army by the  government of India that is, the eviction of the enemy has virtually been accomplished in Drass and Batalik sectors and we are on the way to achieving this in the other sectors and thus restoring the sanctity of the line of control in Kargil.