archive: Daghaa - betrayal
Daghaa - betrayal
Khushwant Singh
The Sunday Afternoon Despatch and Courier
July 18, 1999
Title: Daghaa - betrayal
Author: Khushwant Singh
Publication: The Sunday Afternoon Despatch and Courier
Date: July 18, 1999
It is becoming increasingly difficult to take words spoken by
Pakistani leaders on trust: Our faith in their integrity has been
rudely shaken.
After 50 years of acceptance of the Line of Actual Control as the
border between the two countries, what provoked them to allow elements
hostile to India to cross it and entrench themselves in our
temporarily unoccupied outposts? And now Nawaz Sharif having realised
that military adventurism has turned world opinion against Pakistan is
desperately trying to wriggle out of the trap he laid for himself and
his country.
First he denied that Pakistan had any hand in the intruders getting a
foothold on Indian territory. He was confronted with hard evidence
proving Pakistan's collusion in the sneak operation. Then he denied
that regulars of the Pakistan army were in any way Involved in the
operation. He is now given concrete evidence in the form of Pakistani
soldiers captured or killed on the Indian side of the Line of
Control. All options of lying his way out of the predicament have
been closed.
If he now orders the unconditional withdrawal of Intruders from Indian
territory he win have to face the ire of the hawks in his armed forces
and fundamentalist political groups in his country who are forever
clamouring for jehad against India. I would not take a month's
insurance on the life of hapless Nawaz Sharif. He has betrayed us and
he had betrayed his own countrymen.
I have little doubt that Operation Vijay will end In victory for
India. Nasr min Allah Fateh-un gareeb - Allah grants victory to
people whose cause is just said Prophet Mohammed. Our cause is just,
Pakistan's not: it has allowed its leaders to commit daghaa against
us.
Back
Top
|