The pattern of Pakistan military’s stepping-up of ceasefire violations across the International Boundary (IB) and terrorist attacks across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), other states in India as well as its anti-India rhetoric in Pakistani TV news channels, reflects its frustration and desperation since the BJP came to power.
While the timing of the Gurdaspur attack coincides with the peace attempt at Ufa, Russia, the possibility of Pak army/ISI trying to reignite Indian Punjab cannot at all be ruled out. As it is, the Punjab stretch of the IB has for long been active owing to Pak rangers assisting drug smugglers. In J&K, whereas ceasefire violations by Pak rangers across the IB are almost a daily affair, recent attacks across the LoC in Udhampur, Pulwama, Poonch, Kupwara and many other places should leave no doubt about Pak military’s plans of extending its terrorist grid in India. The capture of a Pakistani boat by BSF near Harami Nala, in Kutch should not be a surprise as Gujarat has been high on Pak terrorists’ target list, with a failed attempt off Porbandar on New Year’s eve. Delhi, anyway has been a high-priority target.
The shrill anti-India rhetoric in Pakistani media and recent attacks are definite indications of the mood in Pak’s military/intelligence establishment, which has stepped up both its drive on the ground and of public indoctrination through media, particularly TV talk shows. ISI is in overdrive on Pakistani news channels as they are an ideal medium for deploying a battery of retired generals, including former heads/ members of ISI and military spokespersons, air marshals and pliant scholars and journalists to deliver daily barrages of false accusations, fabr icat ions/fantas ies twisting of truth etc. on all issues and conflicts from 1947 till date. Surprisingly, there don’t seem to be any admirals, yet at least, despite links between Pak navy personnel and terrorists exposed by bold journalist Saleem Shahzad about Al Qaeda’s role with ISI and Lashkar e Taiyyaba in 26/11 and the May 2012 attack on Pak’s naval base, PNS Mehran, after which he was brutally murdered. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) have become hot favourites of Pak media and its ‘commentators’ for bashing almost on a daily basis. Frequently aired footage is of PM Modi’s talk during his visit to Bangladesh featuring his mention of 1971 and NSA Doval’s 10th Nani Palkhivala Memorial lecture at Sastra University, Kumbakonam, in February 2014, when he is reported to have stated “You can do one Mumbai, you may lose Balochistan.” Pak commentators’ propaganda now includes that the attacks on Indian Parliament and 26/11 were Indian machinations and that during 1971, RAW inducted 60-70000 personnel in Khaki uniforms to sever erstwhile East Pakistan. Their latest term for India’s actions/attitude is “shaitaniyat” (coined from shaitani, meaning mischief ), most ironically, exactly what Pakistan has been practicing.
Capturing young Naved (also known as Kasim/Usman), after the Udhampur attack is a good achievement and although he has reportedly confessed a lot, it is not going to make any difference to Pakistan, which has already denied his existence. Also, Pakistan will never admit/acknowledge any act perpetrated/supported by its military/ISI. Anyone who does will either be killed like Shahzad was, or will be made to retract his statement, like former DG Federal Investigative Agency Tariq Khosa did.
One immediate effective measure to neutralise Pakistan supported terrorism in the Kashmir valley is to put all separatists/traitors and their “assistants” in jails out of J&K. Diplomatically, India should relentlessly maintain all efforts to expose Pakistan’s dirty tricks. Boycotting the Commonwealth state speakers’ summit unless it is held in any other country than Pakistan is a justified step. And finally, yet again it is reiterated that India must develop the capacity to covertly strike in depth beyond its borders.
