archive: Islamised Pak army believes Jihad is military salvation to
Islamised Pak army believes Jihad is military salvation to
Major General Ashok K Mehta
Rediff
August 15, 1999
Title: Islamised Pak army believes Jihad is military salvation to
Kashmir
Author: Major General Ashok K Mehta
Publication: Rediff
Date: August 15, 1999
There is no difference between the best and worst of
times in the context of military to military relations
between India and Pakistan. At one level, it is a rather
strange relationship when senior retired military
officers of both countries who studied in the former
Royal Military College, Dehradun meet periodically in
either country. It is incredible this warm and
affectionate reunion as if of lost brothers. Many of
them were chiefs of the services. Many ministers and
diplomats.
Early this year, former Foreign Secretary Shahryar Khan
was in Delhi as manager of the Pakistan cricket team.
Expectedly, his Dehradun school mates lifted him on
their shoulders. He was a great hit. Also with Indian
Gorkha peacekeepers in Rwanda in 1994 as the head of the
UN mission. He wrote a letter to the Indian prime
minister and chief of army staff singling out their
outstanding performance.
But these are Pakistanis of the pre-Partition vintage,
part of the undivided British Indian army and civil
services. Their heart is still at the right place, but
they are on the wrong side of geography. Yet some of
them still complain about unequal distribution of
military assets in 1947, the detachment of Kashmir and
other India bred insecurities.
Four wars later there is no real change in status of a
cease-fire line now called the Line of Control,
originally designated in 1949. The great change is
however in the mindset of the new generation of
Pakistani military officers hankering for revenge.
Revenge for 1971, revenge for (Siachen) 1984, now
revenge for 1999. 1971 was defeat and surrender. 1999 is
defeat and safe passage.
The Islamised Pakistan army is on a course of
self-destruct. Erroneously they believe jihad is the
military salvation to Kashmir. The professionals among
them on the other hand understand the insecurity of
Pakistan is reflected in the mindless attempts of the
Jihadists to militarily alter the LoC. It is a strange
paradox that the very institution which is seen as the
most enduring and stabilising in Pakistan is also the
one responsible for its slow bleeding.
Thanks to the army and ISI linkages with the Islamic
fundamentalists, a new power troika consisting of these
power centers is emerging. The divine A words -- America
and Allah -- may rue the day they encouraged the
formation of this dangerous trinity.
Early this year during an international peacekeeping
seminar at Delhi, I met a serving colonel of the
Pakistan army. He was a professional soldier and
reflected the mind of the saner elements of the
military. He carried no illusions about the destiny of
Pakistan or the ultimate victory in the 1,000-year war
with India. Infact he was hopeful the Lahore process
would fructify and lead to a resolution of the Kashmir
problem. He was most concerned about the waste of war.
There were happier times of course, despite the routine
exchange of gunfire across the LoC over the last 52
years. Local commanders would meet near the LoC, sort
out local border disputes, feast on each other's
culinary delights, exchange gifts and part as reasonable
and responsible adversaries. Islamisation and nuclear
capability encouraged the proxy war launched in 1989.
Apres 1989, the deluge!
The Pakistan army writ is absolute over nuclear, Kashmir
and Afghanistan policies. That is why General Parvez
Musharraf was able to do a much bigger Kargil than the
smaller Drass sanctioned by Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharief. And the gamble failed.
There is nothing like success. The mood in Pakistan has
swung dramatically from initially one of euphoria
emanating from the military masterstroke to eventually
one of despair over a bungled operation, a military
disaster.
Yet Pakistan is so concerned about protecting the image
of the army that it has had to play the charade of the
army masquerading as the Mujahideen. Pakistan cannot
afford to acknowledge the army has been defeated.
In order to minimise the ignominy of defeat Pakistan had
used just the Northern Light Infantry regiment for this
aggression, but gave it the Mujahideen mask which was
dropped all over Kargil. Pakistan has consistently
proclaimed that it has no control over the freedom
fighters through it gives them political, diplomatic and
moral support. In Kargil this translated into artillery
and logistic support.
After the great betrayal at Kargil, military relations
never in good shape are in tatters. Chief of Army Staff
General V P Malik warned that the Pakistan army cannot
be trusted because they tell lies.
The friends of India in Pakistan and vice-versa had
hoped a cease-fire in Kargil might happen which could
then be extended to the rest of the LoC leading to
restoration of confidence building measures. Instead
Kargil is likely to trigger off an arms race.
If the Lahore process had stayed on course and the
Vajpayee government not been unseated, the dialogue on
Kashmir would have started with India offering to vacate
Siachen as a gesture of goodwill, alas, that will become
only an if in history. Genuine military relations with
India can develop only after democracy firms in and the
army is firmly under civilian control in Pakistan.
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