Raj Kadyan
Army jawans near the house in Chenigam, south Kashmir. LeT miltants were hiding here
THE Pentagon has recently submitted a report to the US Congress, exposing the double game of Pakistan on its proclaimed support to the war on terrorism. While professing support to the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, it has been sabotaging their efforts to tame militancy in that region. The US has pumped billions of dollars into Pakistan to solicit its support in combating the Taliban. The Pentagon's assertion of Pakistan using proxy forces to counter India's superior military is a mere reiteration of what India in particular, and the world in general, have known all along.Pakistan has been actively fighting a proxy war in Kashmir for the last 25 years. The report from the US, which has been supportive of Pakistan, should remove all doubts about Pakistan’s perfidy even among the sceptics. Apart from the diplomatic and political support that Pakistan officially claims it provides to the “freedom struggle”, there is ample evidence that it has been training, arming, and funding the militants to continue “bleeding India to death.”
The report confirms independently that Pakistan is still conducting a proxy war against India and Afghanistan. Besides the content, the timing of the report too is significant. The US had known this all along, but did not make it public due to its interests. During its Afghanistan campaign, the US needed Pakistan’s roads for supplies to its troops. The support of ISI, the mother board of all terror networks, was needed too.
Pakistan was providing intelligence for drone strikes in FATA, while condemning them as violation of its sovereignty. Despite being paid handsomely for these services, Pakistan did not fulfil its part of the bargain. The Afghan Taliban are still being hosted in Pakistan. The Haqqani network, a Pakistani proxy for destabilising Afghanistan, has prospered. Not a single member of that group, or of the India-specific LeT, has ever been arrested or killed by the Pakistani forces so far, even in the much-touted Zarb-e-Azb.
Pakistan was providing intelligence for drone strikes in FATA, while condemning them as violation of its sovereignty. Despite being paid handsomely for these services, Pakistan did not fulfil its part of the bargain. The Afghan Taliban are still being hosted in Pakistan. The Haqqani network, a Pakistani proxy for destabilising Afghanistan, has prospered. Not a single member of that group, or of the India-specific LeT, has ever been arrested or killed by the Pakistani forces so far, even in the much-touted Zarb-e-Azb.
Pakistan’s sabotage has resulted in the war on terror not achieving its goal of stabilising Afghanistan. US saw no visible gain from the over-$20 billion provided in civil and military aid since 9/11. Hostility towards the US is at an all-time high in Pakistan. US national interests are now losing their validity in view of the draw-down from Afghanistan. With this scaling down, Pakistan would lose much its leverage. Publication of the report is proof. Pakistan’s army chief is officially visiting the US shortly but the report still came out. This as well as UN ignoring Pakistani complaints against India's alleged firing across the LoC, indicates Pakistan's isolation. Any further US aid to it will be a token.
The US and others are no longer likely to rush diplomats to New Delhi asking India to show restraint in the event of another terrorist act, or in its fight against the proxy war in Kashmir. Pakistan’s anti-India fervour continues and it has succeeded in turning Kashmir into a running sore that has been haemorrhaging our national energy and impeding our march to our deserved place in the global order. The current situation gives India enough space should it decide to coerce Pakistan out of meddling in Kashmir, which is a sine qua non for peace in the state. The political, diplomatic, economic and military environment is conducive.
We should seize this opportunity to put multi-directional pressure on Pakistan. An aggressive domination of the LoC to prevent Pakistan from infiltrating jihadis into J&K is an obvious. We should prevent the harassment of our fishermen. The attack on our Consulate in Herat on May 23, 2014 affected both India and Afghanistan. There is ample evidence of involvement of LeT in it. Even the Pentagon report has corroborated it. Both should lodge a protest with Pakistan and demand action. Pakistan has not made any progress on the trial of terrorists who attacked in Mumbai. Nor is it likely to do so. We should not let that gory attack be forgotten and pursue the matter with vigour.
The US and others are no longer likely to rush diplomats to New Delhi asking India to show restraint in the event of another terrorist act, or in its fight against the proxy war in Kashmir. Pakistan’s anti-India fervour continues and it has succeeded in turning Kashmir into a running sore that has been haemorrhaging our national energy and impeding our march to our deserved place in the global order. The current situation gives India enough space should it decide to coerce Pakistan out of meddling in Kashmir, which is a sine qua non for peace in the state. The political, diplomatic, economic and military environment is conducive.
We should seize this opportunity to put multi-directional pressure on Pakistan. An aggressive domination of the LoC to prevent Pakistan from infiltrating jihadis into J&K is an obvious. We should prevent the harassment of our fishermen. The attack on our Consulate in Herat on May 23, 2014 affected both India and Afghanistan. There is ample evidence of involvement of LeT in it. Even the Pentagon report has corroborated it. Both should lodge a protest with Pakistan and demand action. Pakistan has not made any progress on the trial of terrorists who attacked in Mumbai. Nor is it likely to do so. We should not let that gory attack be forgotten and pursue the matter with vigour.
— The writer is Former Deputy Chief of Army Staff
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