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Kargil Day.
26 July is remembered as Kargil Day.
In February 1999, Pakistani forces had infiltrated into the mountainous Kargil area and occupied key vantage points overlooking the strategic Srinagar – Kargil – Leh highway.
The road has been vulnerable ever since the 1947-48 Indo – Pak war.
What was surprising was that Pakistan had embarked on their foolhardy venture, soon after the signing of the Lahore Declaration by the Prime Ministers of the two neighbouring countries. The peace declaration itself was the result of international pressure following the back to back nuclear tests carried out by the two countries.
India’s determination to re-occupy the crucial heights, prevailed in the end, though at a heavy cost. More than 540 soldiers were killed in the limited war. The loss of young officers was disproportionately high.
Sensibly, both sides decided to limit the war to the Kargil area, and the nuclear option was never in considerstion.
The ceasefire was forced upon Pakistan through the determined intervention of the United States.
Later, documents revealed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sheriff was mostly kept in the dark about the operations by the Pakistan Army. The irony was that it was Sheriff himself who had handpicked General Pervez Musharaff superceding two senior generals.
Unlike in India, the Army holds the upper hand in Pakistan, and the warrior cult ensures that the pot is kept boiling in dealing with its neighbour India, as a permanent enemy. Both Sheriff and Musharaf later became scapegoats in the power struggle in Pakistan between the Army and the Government.
The book by General VP Malik, who was the Army Chief during the Kargil operations, gives the defenitive account of the tumultuous months.
The occupation of the Chinese in the Ladakh region of the LAC, is the real threat. India is fast building the infrastructure needed to match the Chinese.
However, the chest thumping against Pakistan would not work with a powerful enemy like China, and the only solution is continuous diplomatic efforts to force the Chinese to withdraw to the LAC, as defined by China itself after the 1962 war.
– Joy Kallivayalil.
