Border Action Team (BAT) comprising Pakistan’s Special Force intruded 400 to 500 meters inside the LoC in Krishna Ghati area of Poonch, ambushed an Indian patrol team and killed two of our jawans. This was a pre-planned attack and came about a day after the Pakistani COAS visited the LoC in PoK. Demonstrating their rank barbarism and throwing to winds internationally accepted norms armed hostility; Pakistani Special Force BAT mutilated their bodies.
The BAT is reported to have established training camps close to LoC. This is not the first attack of its kind and beheading and mutilating the dead bodies of soldiers. Prior to it Pakistani intruders have carried out such barbaric activities several times. Director General of Military Operations talked to his Pakistani counterpart and apprised him of the brutal act and wanton violation of cease fire agreement. The fact is that for Pakistan cease fire agreement does not exist at all and the question of complaining of its violation seems childish. Pakistani army and its affiliates the mujahedeen force under various names are acting like barbarians because they are indoctrinated with hate India stuff. After the DGMO conveyed to his counterpart the brutality of his soldiers, Pakistan denied have intruding into the Indian side and committing any killing or mutilating act. Denial is the elixir by which Pakistan is surviving.
Last winter India conducted the surgical strike in retaliation of Pakistan’s Uri attack. However, the impact of that strike seems to have gone hay way. Hindsight tells us that subsequent to our surgical strike Pakistan has upgraded its border intrusion in a number of ways and infiltration bids have increased considerably. Pakistan is testing our capability of maintaining vigil on the border. Indian Defence Minister has said that Indian army will take appropriate action and the culprits will not be spared.
We shall have to revisit our border security strategy and bring about tactical changes in the existing system that would deter Pakistan from conducting unprovoked attacks or pre-planned attacks. Heavy handed policy has to be pressed into service. All these actions may not prove effective deterrents nevertheless it will put Pakistan on tenterhooks and the ball will be in their court.
However, not forgetting the well known saying that if you want peace be prepared for war, we shall have to make full preparations for a war with Pakistan if it happens. This means that we shall have to follow two-dimensional strategy. One is to give befitting response to border clashes and infiltration and the second is to keep our powder dry as anything can happen anytime. It has to be remembered that the US continues its huge financial support to Pakistan army and in the current budget 900 million dollars have been earmarked for allocation to Pakistan. This means that we shall have to reckon with the direct and indirect support which Pakistan army is receiving from two major powers of the world namely USA and China. They do so to further their national interests and on the agenda of those interests is also containment of India as a rising power of South Asia. Therefore Indo-Pak acrimony has to be studied in that context also.
As stated above, the attack in Krishna Ghati in Poonch sector has come close on the heels of the visit of Pakistani Army Chief Bajwa to PoK and forward posts. It has to be recollected that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recommended the elevation of General Bajwa in supersession of two Generals senior to him. This means that the Pakistan civilian Government and the Army are on the same wavelength and the irritants that had cropped up during the days when General Raheel was COAS are no longer there. Therefore, it is wrong to infer that Pakistani army is behaving in a roguish manner. Its barbaric action of attacking the Indian patrol party and killing two soldiers and mutilating their bodies has the sanction of the civilian Government. Undoubtedly it opens a new chapter in Pakistan’s Kashmir policy which we have been witnessing in the Valley for some months in the past.
Recent attack of Afghan Taliban on the Afghan army headquarters and the resultant killing of about a hundred soldier of Afghan National Army have come as a shot in the arm of Pakistan army. It could also be a factor in motivating Pakistani jihadi force to launch an attack across LoC in Kashmir.
Close cooperation between our defence and civilian chapters is the need of the hour. Our policy planners have to take stock of these and other dimensions of the situation. We are passing through a critical period and it is times of distress and danger that courage, determination and steadfastness of a nation are tested. Finally, we convey our condolence to the bereaved families. Sacrifices of the two martyrs of our defence forces will be remembered by the nation for all times to come.
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