The dastardly attack by terror
agencies bred and propped by Pakistan on wee hours of September 18th
on the Uri army base claimed lives of 17 army jawans and left 30 injured. This attack is one the deadliest attacks
suffered by the Indian army in the last 26 years. The terrorist camps operating
from the legitimate Indian territory of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK)
targeted the military base since it is the most important garrison located near
the LoC (Line of Control) and guards the border. The base established in the
plains is believed to be vulnerable for it can be constantly watched by men in
Pakistan bases located in higher mountainous areas. It can be reached from
three sides, one of it is as close as 6km from LoC. Four armed infiltrators
carrying AK-47 rifles, grenade launchers attacked the administrative unit of
the Uri base at around 5:15 am when soldiers were filling diesel in barracks
from the fuel tanks. Springing a surprise, militants hurled grenades with launchers
which caused massive fire in the tents containing unarmed soldiers, killing 13
of them instantaneously in their sleep. The fires left several injured and four
of them later succumbed to injuries. In the fierce gun battle that ensued for
three hours, all the four terrorists were neutralised. The sudden,
unanticipated attack stuck major blow to the Indian forces. Together, the
magnitude of the casualties and the Pakistan orchestrated insurgency that
crippled normal life in the Valley for the past two months generated an
unprecedented furore and anger among the security forces and the political
dispensation.
The weapons recovered from the
terrorists bore Pakistani marks while the maps and the marked location were in
Pashtun language confirming Pakistan’s hand in the attack. Lieutenant General
Ranbir Singh confirmed that the attack bore hallmarks of the terror group
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) allegorically terming it as the second version of
Pathankot attack. Pathankot attack was engineered by JeM, a fact Pakistan
refused to accept and act. Since Pathankot attack, India’s Pakistan policy took
a massive U-turn. Initially, Modi favoured normalisation of relations with
Pakistan for peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute and explored every
possibility to set tone for a bilateral dialogue. But Pakistan reciprocated
with impunity. They inflicted severe damage by attacking Pathankot airbase in
January, a week after Modi’s impromptu visit to Lahore. Even after Pathankot
attack, India made concessions by allowing Pakistan Joint Investigation Team
(JIT) to access site of attack at Pathankot base as Pakistan promised to allow
Indian NIA to enter Pakistan for investigations. But Pakistan duplicitously
exploited Indian largesse. Consequently, Modi who has been apprising nations of
the distress suffered by India due to cross-border terrorism on his bilateral
visits escalated the campaign against counter terrorism. In the meanwhile,
Pakistan with rejuvenated force has intensified infiltration bids and ceaseless
unprovoked cross firing continued from across the border. Simultaneously Rawalpindi
unleashed the venomous terror networks to act on India. The unbridled terror
forces eventually penetrated into the Valley and fomented violence in Kashmir
after the killing of Burhan Wani. As a result, normal life was paralysed in the
valley for the past two months. To tarnish India’s image and to
internationalise the unrest in Kashmir Valley, Pakistan referred the issue to
UN. Besides issuing a strong rebuttal diplomatically, India slowly pressed
Modi-Doval doctrine into action. India began to voice concerns about the human
rights violations in Baluchistan, PoK, Gilgit and Baltistan. Modi steadily
raised the issue of Baluchistan and condemned the actions of Pakistan. At the
G-20 summit and the ASEAN meet, he urged the international community to impose
sanctions on the terror sponsor nations. In the past one month, India’s bold
diplomatic moves began to garner support from other nations. Afghanistan and
Bangladesh which endured the scourge of terrorism began to support India. Aside
the concerns of the countries in the region, terrorist attacks from across the
world were found to have Pakistani connect. Further, as the situation in Afghanistan
rapidly deteriorated, the US expressed its concerns and recently blocked the
$300 million aid for the sale of F-16. Thus, unlike the previous regimes, Modi
government has been valiantly building diplomatic clout to isolate Pakistan.
Now, this clandestine attack on Uri calls for recalibration of Indian strategy
towards Pakistan.
Uri attack came at a time when Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif is travelling to New York to raise Kashmiri issue at the
71st UN General Assembly sessions. Records indicate that Pakistan
had the history of escalating attacks when UNGA is in session. Apparently,
Pakistan had rightly used this opportunity to aggravate tensions across the
border so that it can take mileage from any aggressive reaction from India.
Congruently, reports indicate that in the past one month there have been 12 infiltration
bids, 10 were foiled and 2 were successful. Uri terror attack is perhaps, one of the
biggest army causalities caused by single militant attack and drew strongest of
condemnations from political parties. Perhaps for the first time in the recent
past, the top echelons of India political leadership condemned Pakistan in
strongest words with BJP hinting at “complete jaw for one tooth” policy. All
political parties hit out at Pakistan for perpetrating terror but AAP and RJD
took a swipe at Modi and blamed him for the attacks. Truly, patience of India
has reached a threshold as Pakistan breached tolerance levels.
Pakistan of late has been hit by a
spate of calamitous reactions. Repealing of aid by the US, India pitching for
rights of Baluchistan, attacks in Quetta, terror attacks in Christian majority
areas in Peshawar, deteriorating bilateral ties with Afghanistan have come as
setbacks to Pakistan. With progress of the CPEC too coming under international
scanner, Pakistan in a bid to assert its control has rejuvenated its attacks on
India. While Modi government has been diligently building diplomatic pressure
recently through aggressive overreach, to handle a rogue nation like Pakistan
India must adopt a multi-pronged approach. India must hit Pakistan hard at a place
where it hurts the most. To accomplish this, apart from campaigning for
declaration of Pakistan as terror state and calling for international
isolation, India should attempt to build economic pressure. New Delhi should
directly ask nations and trading groups to cut off their business ties with
Pakistan to have trade transactions with India. Pakistan in the past buttressed
Khalistan movement to blow a wedge into India. To blunt the fangs of Pakistan,
with dissent brewing up, India should consider paying back to Pakistan in same
coin. Pakistan always sought parity with India and eventually coerced the US to
sanction finances for strengthening its defences. Now that Pakistan has emerged
as the regional threat with the US too suffering damages in terms of loss of
personnel and the associated costs of long war in Afghanistan, India should
urge nations to impose arms embargo. Pakistan has been thriving on the illegal
drug transactions. India should use its clout, urge international banks and
other financial agencies to unearth the hawala
transactions and choke the financial conduits. China for long has used Pakistan
as a low cost apparatus for containment of India. India should in unequivocal
terms indicate that India might close its markets if it continues to aid
Pakistan. For the past seven decades, despite accruing humongous losses in
terms of men and material because of Indo-Pakistan armed and proxy wars, India
refused to learn its lessons. India remained smug, benevolent and Pakistan’s
aggression in part was emboldened by India’s cowardice. Indian leadership drawn
into the cult of the pseudo-liberals and vested groups failed to give back to
Pakistan in its terms. Further, lack of consistent national policy towards
Pakistan had undermined Indian efforts at various stages. As valuable time and
efforts were frittered away with every new leadership “reinventing the wheel”
over and again. It is high time and India must now force the West to take stern
action against Pakistan and coerce it to act. Besides, India must carry a
relentless campaign by sending diplomats to various countries exposing the
incendiary activities of Pakistan. While all these approaches should be adopted
to contain the aggression of Pakistan, India must be ever battle ready. With reports
of Pakistan building another nuclear site emerging, stakes are really high. For
long Pakistan has relied on its nukes to deter India. India should now stop
buying that argument. Instead India must strengthen and refurbish its arms and
ready special forces to counter Pakistan.
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