Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday justified the evacuation of border villages in Punjab after army’s surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) last month, saying the government apprehended retaliation from Pakistan. “It appeared that Pakistan would react to surgical strikes. READY TO HELP PAK ACT AGAINST TERRORISTSSlamming Pakistan, Rajnath said the neighbouring country had adopted terrorism as its state policy and was harbouring terrorists, which is why it has been isolated not only in South Asia but across the globe. (Keshav Singh/HT Photo)Regarding Jammu and Kashmir, Rajnath said the situation in Kashmir would soon return to normal. Editors and senior journalists from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Union Territory of Chandigarh and from North-eastern states are attending the two-day conference.

Source: Hindustan Times October 17, 2016 17:48 UTC