A GOOD GAME AT KARGIL
by: Brig.(Retd) M. Shafi Khan
Kargil is the midpoint between Srinagar and Leh - a distance of 420 km. Leh is the base for supplies to Siachen - the frozen hell - the highest battleground on earth. Indian Forces took the liberty of stealthily occupying Siachen in 1984.
It is extraordinary that a Brigadier states that
Indian Forces took the liberty of stealthily occupying Siachen in 1984.
"Surprise" is one of the Principles of War. Surely, he does not expect a
Barat to precede military action!
In Kargil, Pakistan occupied the heights with Stealth! Therefore, those who planned it, surely were genuine military men, who applied the Principle of War - Surprise!
Maybe this Brigadier is a Rear Echelon type, who is not too aware of the way military operations are conducted! Even so, a Brigadier whatever be his Arm or Service, should know the basic stuff of warfare.
Siachen is indeed a frozen area where conducting military operations is quite taxing in every form.
But then, when was Army life a bed of roses?
And military operations undertaken by chocolate cream soldiers?
It was the violation of the Simla Agreement. Indians do not believe in observing the rules of the game.
Like, how?
They take advantage wherever and whenever they can manage: the occupation of Siachen was such an adventure. The cease-fire line was not marked there because no one could traverse snow bound area.
And Pakistan does not? What an argument to offer. More of a lament for having missed the opportunity to do what the Indians did.
CFL was not marked because one could not traverse a snow bound area. Pathetic a contention. If that were so, then how come they are now sitting and battling in the same old snow bound area, which they could not traverse earlier? Would it have been easier and better to have traversed it earlier and marked it, rather than having this Siachen conflict?
The people in India and Pakistan heard a lot about Siachen but not many people could feel the touch of it: it is just horrible and always frozen. When the winds blow at 22000 ft the bite is killing. The bones get chilled inside the Skin which does not have any warmth. In those yonder mountainous regions live the soldiers -perched on cliffs; they cannot take one step wrong to become dear departed. Such is the prize which India chose to win. They learnt bitter lessons soon after but it became a matter of prestige too difficult to stay and impossible to quit -- too costly in lives and resources. Going to Siachen by land route one has to take the journey from Srinagar to Zojila Pass (over 11500 ft) then going down to Dras a cup shape garrison area, then one climbs again to Kargil over 8000 ft then to descend on way to Leh - the Buddhist territory.
What is so extraordinary about Siachen?
It is just another conflict that has to be endured, one may like it or otherwise. Military service is not a social cause aimed at giving employment to cut unemployment figures or reduce the poverty figures in the national statistics. It is for men and not the faint hearted!
There is no bitter lesson for anyone. I have been in Kargil as also Siachen and India can afford it.
We have the clothing and equipment and even if it is more difficult than being in the Plains, it is not that lamentable as is being made out.
The tenures are not extraordinarily long and a tenure there does give a satisfaction that one has done something worthwhile in his career and in his life and experienced a feeling that all the money in the world can't buy!
The Line of Control is towards the west of road Srinagar - Leh at varying distances, but within the artillery range of Pakistan Army. Indians bitten by an ambition to seek the dominant positions for observation kept on inching forward. In early May 1999 Indian Forces occupied an area on Pakistan side of LOC. This was the beginning of the latest flare up. Despite warnings Indian troops kept up their efforts to gain more territory. On 5/6 May they tried to capture a Pakistani post. They failed and paid a price of 60 - 70 Lives. Indians moved more troops into the area, attacked again and again only to be punished. On 26-27-28 May C-In-C Northern Command lost his shirt and ordered assault on Mujahideen's positions by MIGs and gunship helicopters. On 27 May they lost two MIG aircrafts and one helicopter on the following day. On 27 May the Indian Command used Air Force intensively and after three strikes claimed to have killed 200 intruders. This is the first time to hear that the attacking aircraft can count casualties on ground. There was confusion and it continues. Some Indian troops reportedly saw Afghan Taliban, some others spotted mercenaries and some others reported irregulars and even Pak Army. They may be given the margin for unexpected casualties on furious looking intruders of different qualities, categories and calibres. General Malik COAS also lost his cool while driving his generals to go for quick attacks.
I was there.
India occupied nothing on the Pakistani side that led to the flare up. In fact, the Indian Army was surprised and this fact is well known internationally and has also been commented in the Pak media and in the papers of Pak Strategic Institution. His fertile imagination and tweaking of history to suit his purpose lies exposed.
GOC in C Northern Command was in Pune and the COAS was in Poland. That much for the GOC in C losing his shirt!
The real loss of Indian forces by 31 May was not 150 dead, 300 injured and 200 deserters from the Mahar Regiment, but the interruption of the daily traffic of around 600 vehicles load, half of which carry military stores for dumping for Siachen. What if this season is wasted and the supplies do not reach Leh before the first week of October? There will be no civil supplies for over 3 lac population of Ladakh and the troops at Siachen. If this road can not be made safe for traffic India will need thousands of airlifts - a baffling requirement.
I am also from Mahar Regiment even though I was in the Division, but this is news to me and my Regiment! Great to know that they deserted, but I can state that facts seems to have deserted this Brigadier and imagination is residing in his brains!
Indians must be given credit for advance planning. They have laid out an alternative road (route) - from Himachal Pardesh to Leh through three passes touching heights from 15000 to over 1700O ft - this approach is snow bound - and open only in July and August. What a puzzling situation!
So kind of him to give a left handed compliment!
That the Brigadier does not understand warfare or strategic compulsion became evident since he finds the Rohtang Pass road a puzzling situation!
I hope he knows that the Burzilbai Pass (14042 ft) in Pak Kashmir opens after the Zojila.
Now, does he find that puzzling?
But then God alone can solve the problem of his mind being puzzled since God along can lower the heights through an earthquake and change the climate!
During air strikes 27-28-29-30 and - 31 May 1999 Indian authorities made it clear that the air strikes will be sustained but confined only to Indian side of LOC. After Simla Agreement shelling of schools and villages across the LoC does not pinch their conscience.
This man is not a military man or so it appears. Shelling of schools and villages? When there is an encroachment, what should be the military aim? Obviously, to get the encroachment vacated and not bomb schools and villages.
He has painted a picture that logistics was a huge hassle in these areas. Now, if that is what it is, then ammunition is not a luxury. Therefore, when the nations is breathing down your neck and accusing the forces of a lack lustre vigilance and head being prepared to roll, would such meagre ammunition be used on non military targets or military targets? Logic is absent with this Brigadier apart from his total lack of knowledge how military operations are conducted.
India has requested Amnesty International to see the atrocities committed by Pakistan. It is so unfortunate that during the last ten years India never allowed Amnesty International and the Red Cross to operate in the Killing Zones of Kashmir but now she has made an appeal for the world to see the plight of refugees from Dras and Kargil. Since 1994 Indians have been shelling Neelum valley: targeting the townships of schools and even hospitals. Over 50,000 people were displaced. Killing children in schools, patients in hospitals and villagers in their homes. Neelum Valley road was kept under fire and even UN observers targeted - Indians do not feel bad when they can inflict losses and casualties on innocent people. No world body was allowed to appear in Kashmir. On India's calling they may visit only Indian Held Kashmir.
Lament of a troubled soul and a disturbed mind.
These days, the operations are taking place along the LoC and away from Kargil and Dras. Pakistan Artillery shelling has blown up huge quantities of ammunition dumps and stores located in these two localities. The population was not targeted, they had to seek safety away from the military dumps.
What a childish statement!
Does he know that in High Altitude flat areas are at premium and things just cannot be moved away? Or is India being magnanimous so that India saves Pakistan from the embarrassment of collateral damage on population when the shell the dumps.
Is this Brigadier real?
Was this development unpredictable? That Mujahideen appeared suddenly in areas where they were not expected? A sudden vision of Mujahideen must have shocked the notorious RAW and their masters. Indian habit of biting the areas here and there and calling them Line of Actual Control or Actual Ground position Line is a normal misconduct. According to India all issues are bilateral and because of this ground reality the Secretary General UNO Mr. Kofi Annan's offer to send his envoy was rejected by India. The request by the Prime Minister of Pakistan to Kofi Annan was neutralised. The American and British authorities also favour this gridded position: good for India... bad for humanity.
This shows the falsehood that the Brigadier has been chiselling away so far.
If the Mujahideens (actually the NLI) surprised the Indians, then how is it that he is claiming that the Indians had encroached wherein the Pakistan
Army reacted?
This is what he had written earlier:
Indians bitten by an ambition to seek the dominant positions for observation kept on inching forward. In early May 1999 Indian Forces occupied an area on Pakistan side of LOC.
BJP’s policy statement after their nuclear tests 11 & 13 May 1998 was:
"We will take back that part of Kashmir that is under Pakistan's occupation: we do not covet anyone else's territory, but we have taken a vow to take back what is ours. The Congress Party made a mistake in letting Pakistan control a part of Kashmir. We will correct that."
He was sitting in the BJP HQ?
India adheres to her declared aims - the genocide and oppression in Kashmir and the actions and shelling over civilian areas along the LoC is in furtherance of Indian aims. Let there be no case of taking it easy and fostering of good will. Weak enemy makes Hindus bolder and meanest.
The usual refrain of the pathetic.
Thank Heavens Musharraf is not of the same mettle as the Brigadier!
When Indians (RSS and others not different from one another) killed Gandhi Ji he was trying to stop communal killings and insisting on Nehru to release to Pakistan Rupees 50 crores which was Pakistan's share (the life saving drug for Pakistan at that stage) he was eliminated. In the same manner Nehru's bloc in his mind (RG Acharya) for Kashmir created the situation of a fraudulent accession of Kashmir. After the deed was done Maharaja of Kashmir was ousted from his state - he died a lonely death in Bombay. Sheikh Abdullah was emaciated in Jails till his abject surrender (In 1975) at the feeble stage of his life. It is for over fifty years that this Muslim majority state is going through hell for Nehru's fascinations. The sin has now fallen on Indian soldiers to die in vain in an area they cannot save from the sons of the soil. Why should Indians die in Kashmir? Why Kashmir operations should cost trillions of rupees which could have ameliorated the sad plight of Indian masses? After a walk, when I rested my head on my walking stick I got into a thinking spell, a dream like condition. My mind went towards the terrain of Kashmir where Indian forces are not deployed but actually, badly and awkwardly displaced by the geographical compartments - throughout the state. Any professional officer will dread to think of the fate of Indian Army as to how will they survive when all the roads (2300km) taking bends within miles in hilly area are interfered with and not even disrupted. What can happen if Bannihal tunnel is blocked or interfered with, there will be traffic jam touching as far as Jammu and Srinagar towards the North. Who has got India into such a FIX? Did not Nehru dig a grave for India in 1947? Napoleon's million strong Army ran from Moscow as individuals to reach their homes in France. Will it happen to Indian Army also and when? It is possible. After all Kashmir belongs to its people and not to India - why should Indians die there which could not be India's share in any case.
Pathetic.
From Siachen to Kargil and now to this!
Forgive me, he seems to be a very unhappy person and a person who cannot face the reality and instead lives in an idealistic world where unless things go his way, the world is cruel!
He is concerned about Indians and Indians should not die. He wants Indians to do what he claims Napoleon's army did - run away!
But then, if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride!
The tale of two pilots on 27 May 1999, two Indian Air Force pilots had the bad luck to fly over Azad Kashmir territory, they were shot down. The pilot of MIG 27 bailed out and was received and treated as an officer PW. The pilot of MIG 21 squadron leader Adeja about whom it was stated by Air Vice Marshal Malik that he was on a mercy mission to help the pilot of MIG 27 which had developed trouble was also shot down. His body was delivered to India where he was given a state funeral. The Indian authorities abused Pakistanis for murdering the pilot. I have no way of knowing the details except seeing the ZEE TV - the position was described like that. If there were bullets in his head as described, is it not possible that this brave officer did not want to be a prisoner in the hands of the enemy whose aerial space he had violated? As an officer one can expect from him to choose the end in that manner. I can say Pakistani officers and men could never hurt him once he was in their custody. On 14 December 1971,1 had the luck to mop up Chamba operation in Hot Spring Sector - Rajauri Area. A captain (Indian officer) a General's son was one of 170 PWs. This captain was presented to me with these words: "this beast surrendered". When Havildar Aziz approached him, he picked up his Sten and shot him dead. I looked at him with all the scorn. I told him that he deserved very severe punishment but he will not be disposed off summarily. He was in the hands of soldiers for 6-7 hours before he was produced before me. He returned to his country untoudhed. He could be a senior officer, living to confirm. General Kundan Singh and Brigadier Hari Singh of Rajauri Division will confirm the fact. Pakistanis can never do a mean thing like that. The family of the officer and the COAS India must be sure of that.
Ramesh Vinayak (India Today 31 May) says that Pakistanis gained a nasty surprise and the audacious Pakistanis caught the army unaware and caught the security forces off guard. Pakistanis have a good record of doing wonders. The operation (1947-48) of 7229, Pandu and Berripatan will remain classics in warfare. Runn of Kutch found Pakistani battalions driving Indian brigades and clearing vast areas in Rajastan. A brigade bringing armed divisions to halt in Sialkot and keeping a massive force away from Gymkhana Lahore by a small force were the miraculous performances. 1971 was the worst of the experiences but in East Pakistan, India with eight divisions could not claim to have captured even one company position. When Dacca airport was damaged by digger bombs and flying became impossible the only six F86 on ground fought back with their rockets from static position and together with the anti aircraft battery kept the sky clear of Indian Air Force. Such records belong only to Pakistanis. The operation in Hot Spring (1971 mentioned earlier) is yet another example of only 29 men in defence with only four guns, decimated a brigade attack which had air and 110 guns in support--the end result was 170 Indian PWs who were rounded up by the civilians of the area. In May 1972 in Lipa Valley less than a company attacked up-hill and drove a battalion out of defensive positions. In 1984, Siachen - Indians stole a march on Siachen, fully equipped for high altitude operations - Pakistan Army stemmed the forward march by joining the battle without woollies - just naked courage and the will to FIX the enemy's adventure was stemmed where he was found.
This operation in Kargil area has already proved that IAF and over forty thousand troops have not gained any ground. The Indian claim of clearing the area of intruders in two days has been amended to read months. The massive concentration of Indian troops supported by air have presented good targets - the losses of Mujahideen honesty speaking are less than a score against the heavy casualty list of Indian forces which are baffled, nervous and helpless. Given the efficient political and diplomatic cover India will always find defeat in face of Pakistan's defence forces and Freedom Fighters. Will India add to their 700,000 troops against only 4000 Mujahideen in Kashmir who have denied the enemy pleasure of crushing the resistance movement which is indigenous, popular and strong. going into the eleventh year: towards victory - Insha Allah. Pakistan seeks peace with honour.
God Bless this unhappy man!
