Army chief’s speech on the occasion of 67th Army Day should open the eyes of those who are accustomed to raising doubts and controversies first about the ill intentions of Pakistan against us, and second about preparedness of our defence forces in meeting the growing threat from terrorists and jihadis across the border. It is now more than clear that Pakistan is keeping a tryst with terrorism because it finds only that option open to it so as to save disintegration of the theocratic State of Pakistan. No sensible state embarks on perpetual hostility and animosity with its neighbour making religion the cause of confrontation. Pakistan has history of the unending strife in which that country has got immersed ever since its inception.
It has launched a proxy war against India in Kashmir just because three wars fought with India did not win her Kashmir.
Nearly three decades ago Pakistan created terror structure primarily to intimidate India by making a pretext of Kashmir as a disputed territory. Pakistan created terror structure not understanding that it would recoil on her. This summer Pakistan escalated border tension by violating the cease fire agreement of 2003 umpteen times. These escalations were commensurate with the deepening crisis in Pakistan. Her crisis is caused not by India but by the terrorist and jihadi outfits which her army and ISI created over the years. When Pakistan cries hoarse that India rejected FS level talks, she does not speak about the 36 terrorist training camps set up on her territory nor about 200 well trained and heavily armed jihadis from various terrorist outfits particularly from LeT waiting to infiltrate. Refusing to dismantle terror structure and making repeated bids to sneak in the infiltrators for subversion has had to be met with adequate response and that is what precisely the India army has done or would do. The terror structure is intact in that country and, it will be noted that only two days back in an encounter with the terrorists in South Kashmir five militants including their Pakistani chief from Jaish-e-Muhammad were gunned down by security forces in the forest of Godar in Keller, Shopian. Earlier the LeT chief was gunned down in Sopore in an encounter with the security forces. Uninterrupted firing and shelling on the LoC and International Border had to be responded adequately and the field commanders are authorized to handle the situation in a befitting manner.
India is beset with two hostile neighbours on the west and the east. The two have formed nexus targeting India. The reason is that both of them are wary of India’s solid and entrenched democracy and her march to progress through democratic pathway. Therefore, India has to protect a long border and that is not a small thing. Maybe by recurring firing, shelling and intrusions, the enemy wants to test the patience or preparedness of Indian security forces. The Army Commander has assured the nation that the situation on the borders is under control. We have had problems in the Eastern states which the Government is tackling with skill and confidence. In J&K, forces had a tough job to do and that was to see the election to the State Assembly was conducted smoothly. More than 65 per cent of votes were cast and that speaks a lot about the success of the security forces in forestalling any threat from the militants and those who gave call for boycott of elections.
We are proud of our army and security organizations that have foiled numerous bids of the enemy to sneak into our side of the ceasefire line to indulge in acts of sabotage. Army has to take care of both internal subversion and external aggression in the shape of a proxy war. The Army is alive to the fact that in the context of the impending visit of the US President as the chief guest on Republic Day —26th January—terrorist would very much want to create a situation that would have impact on the visit of the high profile dignitary from the United States. It is the plan of ISI to create a situation that would draw the attention of the world away from the historic moment of the visit of the President of the United States. In any case, the Army is geared to this threat. Security agencies would not allow the terrorists to succeed in their nefarious designs.
However, the General is of opinion that in regard to China the two countries are proceeding along the roadmap of confidence building measures. This may be in place, but the hard fact is that we cannot take any risk because we are already bitten by China and we would not allow her second chance. Our Mountain Strike Corpse is expected to change the entire strategy of mountain warfare in the northern and north eastern sectors.
However, we strongly support the idea of the General that in view of unrelenting threat and pressure from our western and eastern border, focus has to be on capability enhancement and modernization of arms. At the same time there is dire need of raising the standard of border connectivity which means that a network of roads and railways has to come up all along the border. The country must have a long term policy of regular and intermittent upgrading of the quality of training and capability and also the strike power of our forces. We have become notorious for being too soft to the enemy on our border, a policy which is not perhaps going to yield dividends. Prime Minister’s gesture of goodwill on the occasion of oath taking ceremony has not had desired impact on Pakistan though, of course, for other SAARC Governments, it was a historical moment. The summation of current ground situation in regard to military relations with Pakistan and China is very comprehensive and full of insights. The information divulged is based on very reliable sources and the good thing is that the Government is fully aware and conscious of the threats posed to our security and the steps our army is taking for meeting this challenge. India is for peace in the sub-continent and resolution of outstanding issues through peaceful dialogue. But let us be very clear that India does not pursue peace from a position of weakness.
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