Heightened conflict
Editorial
The Times of India
May 28, 1999
Title: Heightened conflict
Author: Editorial
Publication: The Times of India
Date: May 28, 1999
The shooting down of an IAF fighter aircraft by a surface to air
missile adds a dimension to the massive Pakistani intrusion into the
Kargil sector. It also confirms the charge that the Pakistani
incursion is being backed by that country's armed forces. 'Rough the
Indian Prime Minister had spoken to Pakistan's Nawaz Sharif, and the
director general of military operations of India has also been in
contact with his opposite number, the Pakistani information minister
has called for a despatch of the UN Secretary General's special envoy
to the region. That would indicate that this may have been an
elaborate scheme to create tension to internationalise the Kashmir
dispute and involve the UN. This is presumably the Pakistan army's
response to what was deemed as Mr Nawaz Sharifs compromise at Lahore
when Kashmir was not referred to as a 'core issue' in the memorandum
of understanding. India's response to this escalation has to be both
re-strained and firm. The sooner the Pakistani intruders within
Indian territory are cleared by the combined air and ground action,
the better the chances of limiting further conflagration. While the
loss of the aircraft highlights the need for exercising extra care,
the military operation has to be pressed with full vigour. The
communication at political and military levels in both countries has
to be maintained to ensure that there are no avoidable
misunderstandings on either side.
Even as the operations are being pursued, adequate attention has not
been paid to the handling of information. Pakistan gained some
advantage in publicising the downing of the aircraft first. There
ought to have been prompt and adequate explanation on our part about
the circumstances in which the aircraft came down in Pakistani
territory, together with an assurance that India would not act beyond
its border. The inter-national media keeps referring to the
'disputed' territory of Kashmir. India has not highlighted that,
irrespective of the Kashmir dispute, the line of control is the
subject of a bilateral treaty: The Shimla agreement has been
acknowledged by the UN and the international community. The present
intrusion is clearly an act of aggression: Well-armed, well-trained
men, acclimatised to operate in high altitudes in inhospitable terrain
could not have reached this area without access through communication
lines controlled by the Pakistan Army. The evidence for concluding
that Pakistani intruders are from regular forces should have been
presented early. India should focus on the cost of this aggression to
the Pakistani market and currency and its long-term impact on
Pakistan's economy. The inadequacy of political control over the
Pakistani army and its adventurist tendencies should be projected to
the international audience. The Prime Minister should meet the
leaders of all parties and brief them comprehensively. This is not
the time for the opposition parties to play politics. Like all other
citizens, they should demonstrate total national solidarity in support
of our jawans and airmen. They should do well to remember the
Pakistani army leadership is tempted to act whenever they sense
political weakness in this country.
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