Author: Brig N.B. Grant
Publication: Maharashtra Herald
(Pune)
Date: January 1, 1990
On Dec. 17, at Rawalpindi, Amanullah
Khan, chairman of the Pakistan based J and K Liberation Front, announced
that, the subversives will wage an 18 month old campaign of terror, including
hijacking, killing and more kidnappings. He went on to say that the Front's
underground guerilla force operating in J and K has been given guide lines
which states- "Don't touch our own people, but hit Indian property, landing
airlines, post offices and public buildings". He concluded by saying that,
"even if our groups military initiation would run counter to the government's
recent attempt to improve relations with India, we will never accept it,
if this is at the expense of a free Kashmir."
The above is not a new innovation
or a stray remark, it has been going on since the end of the Bangladesh
war. In the past 1000 years, there have been really only 14 decisive battles
in the world, and Bangladesh was the fourteenth. No army can ever sustain
that type of defeat endlessly; as such, ever since, the cadet in Pakistan's
military academy at Kakul swears on oath daily, that, one day he will avenge
Bangladesh.
However, it was Gen. Zia, that really
gave substance and the motive force to this. At a top level meeting in
April 1988 attended by selected Corps commanders and top ISI bosses, the
General is said to have addressed the meeting, the main contents of which
as became available to India's RAW agents, were as follows :
"Gentlemen, I have spoken on this
subject at length before; therefore I will leave out the details. As you
know, due to our pre-occupation in Afghanistan, in the service of Islam,
I have not been able to put these plans before you earlier. Let there be
no mistake, however, that our aim remains quite clear and firm - the liberation
of the Kashmir Valley-Our Muslim Kashmiri brothers cannot be allowed to
stay with India for any length of time, now.
"In the past we had opted for hamhanded
military options and therefore, failed, So, as I have mentioned before,
we will now keep our military option for the last moment as a coup de-grace,
if and when necessary. Our Kashmiri bretheren in the valley, though with
us in their hearts and minds, are simple-minded folks and do not easily
take to the type of warfare to which, say, a Punjabi or an Afghan takes
to naturally against foreign domination.
"The Kashmiris however have a few
qualities which we can exploit. First, his shrewdness and intelligence;
second, his power to persevere under pressure; and the third, if I may
so say, he is a master of political intrigue. If we provide him means through
which he can best utilize these qualities - he will deliver the goods.
Sheer brute force is in any case not needed in every type of warfare, especially
so in the situation obtaining in the Kashmir Valley, as I have explained
earlier.
"Here we must adopt those methods
of combat which the Kashmiri mind can grasp and cope with - in other words,
a coordinated use of moral and physical means, other than military operations,
which will destroy the will of the enemy, damage his political capacity
and expose him to the world as an oppressor. This aim, Gentlemen, shall
be achieved in three phases."
Phase 1
"In the first phase, which may,
if necessary, last a couple of years, we will assist our Kashmiri brethren
in getting hold of the power apparatus of the State by political subversion
and intrigue. We must therefore ensure that certain "favoured politicians",
from the ruling elite be selected who would collaborate with us in subverting
all effective organs of the State. In brief, our plan for Kashmir which
will be code-named as "Op Topac" will be as follows"
a) "A low-level insurgency against
the regime, so that it is under siege, but does not collapse as we would
not yet want central rule imposed by Delhi".
b) "We plant our chosen men in
all the key positions; they will subvert the police forces, financial institutions,
the communication network and other important organisations.
c) "We whip up anti-Indian feelings
amongst the students and peasants, preferably on some religious issues,
so that we can enlist their active support for rioting and anti-government
demonstrations."
d) "In collaboration with Sikh
extremists, create chaos and terror in Jammu to divert attention from the
valley at a critical juncture and discredit the regime even in the Hindu
mind."
Phase 2
a) "Exert maximum pressure on the
Siachen, Kargil and Rajauri- Poonch sectors to force the Indian army to
deploy reserve formations outside the main Kashmir valley.
b) "Attack and destroy base depots
and HQ located at Srinagar, Pattan, Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipur and Chowkiwala
by covert action at a given time."
c) "Finally a special force under
selected retired officers belonging to Azad Kashmir, with the hard core
consisting of Afghans, will be ready to attack and destroy airfields, radio
stations, block Banihal Tunnel and the Kargil-Leh Highway."
Phase 3
a) "Detailed plans, for the liberation
of Kashmir Valley and establishment of an independent Islamic State in
the third phase, will follow. We do not have much time.
Maximum pressure must be exerted
before the general elections in India and before Indian army reserves which
are still bogged down in Sri Lanka become available.
By the grace of God, we have managed
to accumulate large stocks of modern arms and ammunition from US consignments
intended for Afghan Mujahideen. This will help our Kashmiri brethren achieve
their goals."
b) Preparation for this phase must
be made by means of a big exercise-the biggest ever held in Pakistan.
c) "I need not emphasize any further
that a deliberate and objective assessment of the situation must be ensured
at each stage; otherwise a stalemate will follow with no good for Pakistan."
The initial phase of Op Topac was
apparently put into action in the latter half of 1988 as was evident from
the course of events from July 1988 to March 1989. The death of General
Zia in August 1988 in a PAF accident, and the new dispensation under Ms
Benazir Bhutto appeared to have made very little difference.
Phase 2 started 3 months ago, and
has gained momentum ever since, climaxing with the kidnapping of Dr. Rubiya
Sayeed the Union Home minister's daughter.
Phase 3 has just ended with Pakistan's
biggest ever exercise "Zarb-e-Momin" (a strike of a true believer), conducted
for the first time with such military professionalism, and with a change
in strategy from one of 'defensive' towards India.
In this, Gen. Beg, Pakistan's chief
of army staff, made no bones about who his enemy was and did not dabble
in the normal military exercise terminology of a 'blue' or 'red' army.
The scenario of the exercise was a territory resembling that of Rajasthan
and Punjab, where Indo-Pakistan battle could be expected to take place.
Dangerous potential
The aim of this article is not to
paint an alarming picture of the current situation in J and K. Nevertheless,
it is essential to draw attention of the public to the dangerous potential
of the current developments taking place in Kashmir. So far, Zia's Op Topac
appears to have gone as per schedule. Let us hope that it does not end
with his vowed aim of liberation of Kashmir.
In this, the Center must not view
the growing unrest in J and K as another purely State law and order problem.
It should be realised that, this is not merely a Punjab-like localised
situation, but something much more. A special kind of war has been initiated
here of which Punjab terrorism is only an adjunct.
Lets face it that, Kashmir figures
very high even now on Benzir Bhutto's priorities. It has led to three wars
between our countries, to a never-ending arms race and to endless tensions.
Whether Kashmir Muslims are emotionally with India or not, the Government
of India cannot abandon the Valley - in fact it is not in a position to
do so. We are stuck with Kashmir just as Kashmir is stuck with us.
Perhaps we may seriously try and
settle our border problem, not only with Pakistan, but also with China,
on a 'where is as is basis.' Belated reaction, misdirected drives and patch
work solutions worked in isolation by various State and Central agencies,
can lead to no clear-cut direction. The present situation can only be allowed
to continue at our peril, the magnitude of which does not appear to have
been appreciated even now.
The author acknowledges with thanks,
the use of certain material regarding OP TOPAC, reported in the IDR of
July 1989.
