Experts not on same page over disclosure of action against Pak
ARMY HAS RELEASED A VIDEO CLIP AS EVIDENCE OF PUNITIVE ACTION TAKEN AGAINST PAKISTAN FOR AIDING TERRORISTS TRYING TO INFILTRATE INTO INDIA
NEW DELHI: A video clip released by the army on Tuesday as evidence of punitive action against the neighbouring force for aiding terrorists trying to infiltrate into India has left experts divided on the objective behind the revelation.
While a section of security experts believe the army has signalled its intent to raise the costs for the Pakistani Army waging a proxy war in Kashmir, others argue such military action is not unprecedented and seems to be driven by a political directive.
Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia, a former director general of military operations, said the Pakistani Army was trying to push in large numbers of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir to calibrate violence levels in the state in the summer.
He said the Indian Army’s public disclosure of its muscular stance along the Line of Control sent out a clear message that the force’s response would be “immediate and effective.”
“I think this is in continuity with the army and government’s stance after last year’s surgical strikes when we clearly conveyed to the Pakistani Army that we have run out of patience…We have again sent a signal that the neighbouring army will have to pay a price for waging the proxy war,” Bhatia said.
However, Ajai Sahni, executive director of South Asia Terrorism Portal, differed.
Sahni said the military action against Pakistani army was nothing new and a tamasha (circus) was being made out of it for the government to make electoral gains.
“The army is doing so under a clear political directive, just like last year’s surgical strikes…The force has been carrying out such action for decades,” he said.
Former northern army commander Lieutenant General BS Jaswal (retd) rejected the theory that the army was publicising its actions under a political directive.
“There’s no political dimension to it. There are only two aims. One, to tell the public what the army is doing along the LoC as frequently such questions are asked. And two, it’s a message to the Pakistani army about India’s resolve to take punitive action,” he said.