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| Pakistan running out of options | | |
M.M.Khajooria
Indo-Pak relations were passing through a phase of dangerous drift. While dialogue process was stalled guns were booming on the borders in Jammu and Kashmir. The immediate provocation for the worsening of relations between the two nuclear neighbours can be traced to Pakistan insistence to ‘consult with Kashmiri separatists’, an euphuism for her over ground strategic assets before the proposed meeting between Foreign secretaries of two countries rejecting Indian advise to refrain from doing so. on 5th November, Defence Minister, Arun Jaitley made it clear that “Pakistan would have to decide whether to talk to India or to Kashmiri separatists” adding that “unless Pakistan makes a conscious choice, a dialogue with Pakistan will not be possible.”Pakistan made its choice . Her High Commissioner in India went ahead and invited the so called Kashmiri separatists for “consultations”. This left the new dispensation in New Delhi which had ridden to power on the crest of a popular wave powered by assertion of strong nationalist agenda particularly in dealing with quarter century old terror unleashed by Pakistan with no option but to call off the foreign secretaries meet . Remember, Prime minister Modi had public ally accused Pakistan of waging a proxy war against India in Jammu and Kashmir. The decision was right and in tune with popular mood as well as the mandate. The wording of its communication, (‘cancelling’ the meet), however appeared somewhat brash and lacked polish and sophistication. Given the sensitiveness and complexity of the issue and overall character and content of Indo-Pak relations it may have been more appropriate to state that the “meeting was indefinitely postponed”. This would have conveyed the message that the doors for dialogue were not closed shifting the onus of creating appropriate environment for the re-engagement on Pakistan. Incidentally, this was the position presently taken by government of India .
Pakistan responded to the “cancellation” by escalating and upgrading the on-going sporadic but numerous bouts of cease-fire violations on the IB . Guns were deliberately aimed at populated civilian areas. . The entire belt of villages and clusters of homes alongside the border in Jammu region particularly in areas falling in the jurisdiction of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts were badly effected by unprovoked firing by Pakistan compelling thousands of families to evacuate and seek shelter in the hinterland .This was done on purpose to gain international publicity and use the resultant “war-like” situation to “create favourable” enviornment for Prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s pitch for UN intervention in the so called “Kashmir issue”. The gambit fell flat .No one even took notice of Pak PM’s rant.
The cross border firing by Pakistan Rangers and Army directed at civilian targets in Arnia belt of Jammu district claimed many civilian lives and caused injuries to at least 34 locals . According to residents of the area it was for the first time after 1965 Indo-Pak war that civilians were deliberated hit. It was the highest tally of Indian civilian causalities. Enough was enough. The time had come to move beyond “bullet for bullet” policy and impose unacceptable punishment on the enemy. The October response to Pakistan unprovoked attack on the civilian population did exactly that. The surprise and shock on Indian response was both patent and palpable. However ,after the well deserved punishment was handed down , it was totally inappropriate to gloat over the ‘score’ in a situation wherein the worst sufferers were the innocent common people. People in responsible positions were expected to be carful in making comments . After all the purpose of “punishing” Pakistan was to make its leadership realise the futility and cost of such like adventurism and return to proper civilised behaviour. Taunts and remarks like “Look we have silenced mouths of the Pakistan guns ” were therefore best avoided. As it is the guns continued to boom across the border even today.
on Friday, the 5th October, 2014, the Kashmir Valley, was rocked by four terror attacks. Terrorists from across the border stormed an Army camp in Uri leaving 11 security personnel, including a Lt Colonel dead. They also struck in Srinagar , Shopian in Tral killing two.The attacks coincided with PM Modis’ visit to Kashmir valley’
Pakistan rangers resumed unprovoked firing in Arnia sub-sector on November 26, 2014 . Even before Indian security forces could retaliate, four Fidayeen possibly constituted as a Border Action Team( BAT) comprising elements from terrorists and Pak army/ rangers surfaced about four Km inside the fenced border. Dressed in Army uniforms they attacked the Indian Army base near the town of Arnia. The Fidayeen attack interestingly coincided with the SARC summit in Khatmandu attended by Prime minister Modi and Pak Prime minister Nawaz Shrief. According to the then Chief minister Omar Abdullah the attack "can't be a coincidence"
The cross border firing continued not sparing people even on the Eid and New Year. As usual Pakistan government remained in denial accusing India of “resorting to Unprovoked firing” Even Defence ministers lost cool and spoke in the language of belligerence. The Indian Army chief found “the threat( from Pakistan) growing” . He also blamed Pakistan for waging proxy war in Jammu & Kashmir. But the allegation by the Pak Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tasnim Aslam that“The People of Pakistan see the escalation of tension by India on the Line of Control and Working Boundary, through continuous unprovoked firing and targeting of civilians, as an attempt to distract our armed forces from its valiant mission against all terrorists” took the cake. Significantly, this perception was endorsed by the PAK Defence Minister. This was ,to put it mildly ridiculous. The Indian vested interest in Pakistan army winning the war against TTP should be clear to any one with a modicum of common sense. The take over of Pakistan by TTP , whose factions were affiliated with Al Queda and ISIS would demolish the buffer provided by Pakistan nation state and bring us face to face confrontation with these Global Jihad clones. “Have they gone mad? Was the question frequently asked” No, they have not gone mad. There was a method in this madness.
The TTP brutal assault on the Peshawar Army Public School and massacre of school students and teachers changed the entire discourse. The Pakistan Army and indeed the entire nation demanded revenge in one voice. The pressure was so massive and intense that apologists of the TTP terrorists were aghast and petrified. Even Imran Khan known for his soft corner for the TTP brutes after initial hesitation thought it prudent to go along the current. Army not only intensified its operations but demanded and compelled the National Assembly to amend the constitution to authorise setting up of Military courts to try the terrorists. The Prime Minister revoked the moratorium on execution of an army of Terrorists enjoying comfortable life in prisons and executions have been taken place ever since. Even convicted terrorists belonging to Lashkar-i- Jhanvi whose leadership enjoyed cosy relations ironically both with Mushaaraf and Nawaz Sherif were hanged. There was zero tolerance amongst the public for leaders who were even remotely suspected of being soft on TTP. This was evidenced by the demonstration against Imran Khan and the Chief Minister of Khyber Pukhtoom Khawa by the students of Peshawar Army Public School when they visited th institution on its resuming normal functioning after remaining closed for one month. All this was terribly bad news for the section of PAK establishment which still hoped to strike some kind of a deal with the TTP. Accusing India of mounting unprovoked firing on borders “as an attempt to distract our armed forces from its valiant mission against all terrorists” was in fact a clever ploy to divert and dilute the popular outrage against TTP and fabricate a connection between TTP terrorists and India. It may be recalled that Hafiz Syed tried this trick earlier also when he alleged Indian hand in the Peshawar School attack but had to shut up .In fact independent .Eminent political commentator Parvez Hoodahoy( It wasn’t the final atrocity”-Dawn, 17, Decmber, 2014) . argued that ‘.”The only possible solution is to change mindsets. For this we must grapple with three hard facts.”
.“ First, let’s openly admit that the killers are not outsiders or infidels. Instead, they are fighting a war for the reason Boko Haram fights in Nigeria, IS in Iraq and Syria, Al Shabab in Kenya, etc. The men who slaughtered our children are fighting for a dream — to destroy Pakistan as a Muslim state and recreate it as an Islamic state No one should speculate about the identity of the killers. Taliban spokesman Muhammad Umar Khorasani released pictures of the eight ‘martyrs’, justifying the killing of minors with reference to Hadith (a horrific perversion, of course)..”
Second, Pakistan must scorn and punish those who either support terrorism publicly or lie to us about the identity of terrorists. Television anchors and political personalities have made their fortunes and careers by fabricating wild theories. For example, retired Gen Hamid Gul and his son Abdullah Gul have adamantly insisted multiple times on TV that suicide attackers were not circumcised and hence not Muslim. Though body parts are plentifully available for inspection these days, they have not retracted earlier claims.
“. At another level” he significantly pointed out “ is Jamaat-ud- Dawa’s supremo, Hafiz Saeed. He blames India for the Peshawar massacre and, ignoring ironclad evidence, misguides Pakistanis about the identity of the enemy’.
Third, if Pakistan is to be at peace with itself then it must seek peace with its neighbours and begin disassembling the apparatus of jihad. The bitter truth is that you reap what you sow . “While bewailing the murder of our children, let us acknowledge that Pakistan’s soil has been used time and again for inflicting grief and sorrow across the world. Today it is not just India and Afghanistan who accuse us, but also China and Iran” he concluded.
While a faction of Pak establishment was busy playing these silly ,senseless and ridiculous games , its global affiliate terrorist stormed office of Satirist news paper Charlie Hebdo in Paris o & January provoking worldwide outrage. They fired up to 50 shots while shouting "Allahu Akbar" and killed 11 people. Including a French National Police officer ., 11 sustained injuries during the attack. Five others died and another 11 were wounded in related shootings that followed in the Île-de-France region. The continent of Europe was on edge. Anti-terrorist operations were launched in Belgium and arrests of suspects made across Europe. On 11 January, about two million people, including more than 40 world leaders, met in Paris for a rally of national unity, and 3.7 million people joined demonstrations across France . And yes, AL Queda in the Arabian Peninsula had claimed responsibility for Charlie Hebdo shooting. “The attack was years in the making and was master minded by U.S.-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki AQAP” claimed its commander Nasr Ibn Ali al-Ansi.
U.S. President Barack Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to safeguard "our way of life" in a jointly written opinion piece for the Times of London "We will continue to stand together against those who threaten our values and our way of life," they said in Thursday 15 January edition. The resolve was reiterated in their joint Press conference in Washington on 16th January wherein they highlighted the Global character of the terrorist threat and determination to banish it from the face of the Globe. In short there was zero tolerance for any kind of terrorism especially the Pan Islamist, Al Queda and ISIS varieties. The world community did not recognise any distinction between terrorist and terrorists-good and bad. The US secretary State John Kerry left no one including PM Nawaz Sherif in doubt on this score during his recent visit to Pakistan .He had urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government to fight groups that threatened Afghan, Indian and U.S. interests In fact, terrorist outfits like LET, Jaish-i-Mohammad, HUJI were specifically mentioned. Usually reliable sources revealed that Pakistan had agreed to oblige realising that in the changed world scenario there was no other option.
Pakistan has already outlawed the Taliban-linked Haqqani network which addressed the Afghan and Indian concerns. Similar action against the rest was expected to fallow. The emerging global realities , changing international equations and strategic compulsions dictate that Indian government and political class reinvent initiatives , re-orient responses and redesign diplomatic and military tactics to come to grips with the fast changing anti-terrorist scenario. For one, we should resist the temptation to needle and taunt Pakistan on this score and let the International community particularly the US of A to tackle that country. Let us concentrate on enhancing our own political and diplomatic skills, promoting greater citizen awareness and participation and a honing our military capabilities, as well as crafting fresh strategies and operational tactics in dealing with terrorism that afflicted Jammu and Kashmir and threatened to engulf the rest of the country in its most heinous, brutal and ideologically driven avtar
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