THE KARGIL CONFLICT -
According to a lesser known Pakistani theory, by a popular Pakistani journalist Najam Sethi, it all began when India in 1984 captured Siachen during
the rule of Zia-ul-Haq in Pakistan. Pakistan considered it as the Line Of Control
(LOC); there were tourist’s expeditions during summers, all from the Pakistani
side. And during winters, the Pakistani forces retreated.
Zia-ul-Haq did not highlight it as a major strategic blunder
on their part. But there was always a feeling of retaliation that rested in for
the humiliation faced by Pakistan in its ‘Military Establishment’. 1984,DGMO
Pakistan Military told Zia he had a plan(retaliation) ‘Operation Kargil’, Kargil
is a well 10km inside the Indian territory from the line of control. If captured,
Pakistan can cut the supplies, well can cut majority of Kashmir from India, the
NH1 is the only link between India and Kashmir which could easily be blocked sitting from the heights of
Kargil. This driver seat position could then be used to bargain for Siachen. But
lack of feasibility of the much ambitious Kargil plan prompted Zia-ul-Haq for a
thumbs down to the whole operation, this was the1984-85 period.
Come 1999, Pakistani Army Chief General Parvez Musharraf; Chief Of
General Staff General Aziz; Head of Pak Occupied Kashmir General Mahmood Corps
Commander 10 Corps; former ambassador to the United States Brigadier Javed
Hasan, incharge 4th Command Northern Infantry; these were the four people, infamously
known as ‘The Gang Of Four’,who conceived the whole Kargil Operation. The logic was
more or less the same as earlier in 1984 given by the DGMO Pakistan with a
sprinkle of a little sophistication. Supporting the mujahedeen in vulnerable
Kashmir incase India decide to go on the offensive; this was their backup plan (sophistication
they involved). So, two front wars would engage India with Pakistan having the
advantage of sitting at the heights of Kargil.
The previous objection of going on a full-scale war with
India was negated by the fact (by the Gang Of Four) that Pakistan was also a
nuclear power state, they had tested successfully in 1998.What the Pakistan
military anticipated that India would not go on a full-scale war with Pakistan
BECAUSE ‘they had the deterrent’ ”the nuclear weapons”, WAR would lead to
mutual destruction which they thought India would keep in mind and not attack
Pakistan. This was the whole plan which I think was highly flawed and keep in mind that till now (mid May 1999) the then
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff didn’t have the faintest of the clue about
the whole operation. There were plans of bus diplomacy doing the rounds from both sides of the border, Shri
Vajpayee was the then Indian PM, BJP led NDA government.
Bus Diplomacy was scheduled (round about) in February 99’ but before that in
October-November 98’, about 200 Pakistani soldiers disguised as mujahedeens started infiltrating
the Indian territory after a recce and carefully examining the whole area, they captured more than 140 Indian posts, earlier they
planned to capture only about 8-10 posts but because of extreme winters most of
the posts were vacant which the Pakistanis captured. The Pakistani military
didn’t have exact plans of what they would do next and hence were planning during
the course of the events/anticipations, on the hoof what we call. It was almost May 99’ India got to know about
the captures, thanks to a 'Sheppard' who noticed the dubious movements. And the rest
we know is history, India decisively won the ‘Kargil Conflict’.
This was a Pakistani end of the story, put up by a well
known journalist Najam Sethi which I think is the fairest from their side but
not sure about the Siachen Capture by the Indians. During the war, casualties
were on both sides. Since, Pakistan did not accept the disguised men as its soldiers for most part of the war;
the Indian military held funerals with full respect of many Pakistani soldiers
killed in the war, who I feel were victims of a bloody game played for the
adventure of a few powerful in Pakistan. Something dirtier also happened, during the war
Pakistan captured many Indian soldiers and rather than treating them as prisoners
of war, the Pakistani Army tortured them inhumanly to death. Captain Kalia, of
the 4 Jat Regiment, was the first army officer to report the incursion by the
Pakistani Army on Indian soil. He along with five soldiers - sepoys Arjun Ram,
Bhanwar Lal Bagaria, Bhika Ram, Moola Ram and Naresh Singh - were on a patrol of
the Bajrang Post in the Kaksar sector of Jammu and Kashmir when they were taken
captive by Pakistani troops May 15, 1999.They were tortured for weeks before
being killed. Their mutilated bodies were handed over to the Indian authorities
on June 9 that year. Similar treatment was also given to another Indian soldier
of the Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja.
Since, the Pakistani Army had violated the norms of the
Geneva Convention meant for the human treatment of the victims, those captured
alive, it was subject to trial in the International Court Of Justice and
correctly so. But a more enthusiastic Indian approach was needed than shown by
the Indian Governments. Currently, Dr. NK Kalia, a retired scientist, the
father of Kargil martyr Captain Saurabh Kalia, has moved the Supreme Court
seeking its direction to the Union Government to take up his son's case at the
International Court of Justice.
The whole event was unfortunate, both the Indian Army as
well as the Pakistani Army suffered huge losses. The conflict could have been
avoided had Pakistan have had the tradition of a more democratic leadership at
the centre with no military intervention.
I pray that the case of the great martyr Captain Saurabh
Kalia and our other brave souls meets justice as soon as possible, those
responsible for the crimes must not go unpunished.
