Monthly Archives: August 2018

US President’s censure notwithstanding, Pakistan continues to mainstream terror groups. India cannot let down its guard.

With military domination having been achieved through well-coordinated operations by the security forces (SF) in Kashmir, a situation, often seen before, is emerging. There is talk of the tide of terror having being overcome and for the next steps towards peace in the Valley. No one can deny the need for the same. However, amid the enthusiasm to exploit the positives of the SF’s achievements, eyes must remain on the scanner because events in the neighbourhood do not augur well for India’s security.

Reports over the last few weeks indicate another surge in Islamic fervour and radical ideology. These are on the rise again in Pakistan even as that country’s authorities pat themselves on the back for having supposedly suppressed the violent groups which create turbulence in its bleak internal security environment. Operation Radd-ul Fasaad is perceived to have cleaned up Karachi’s violent streets and some sectarian terror groups. Operation Zarb-e-Azb has supposedly stabilised the restive North West region of Pakistan. Yet, the jihadi juggernaut initiated by Zia-ul-Haq continues unabated. The “friendlies” find no obstacles in their progress. The recent blockade of Islamabad was executed by Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLY) with its leader, Khadim Rizvi, becoming the latest rabble rouser. The rally was held to protest a lack of punishment for those allegedly involved in making changes to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat (finality of the Prophet) declaration for electoral candidates, which have already been reversed.

The TLY is just one of the umpteen “tehreeks” which regularly sprout in Pakistan; this one is linked to the defence of Mumtaz Qadri, the policeman who assassinated Punjab Governor Salman Taseer over the latter’s campaign to dilute blasphemy laws. The authorities were reticent in their approach towards breaking the virtual blockade of Islamabad; Lal Masjid probably still looms large in their memory.

More importantly, the Lashkar e Taiba’s (Jamat ud Dawa) or LeT/JuD leader Hafiz Saeed, once under detention due to US pressure and carrying a bounty of $10 million, has emerged even stronger in his public persona. First, he created waves with the formation of his political party, the Milli Muslim League (MML). When it wasn’t taken too seriously due to not being registered by the Pakistan Election Commission, it was discovered that its candidates Yaqoob Sheikh and Liaqat Ali Khan contested byelections in NA-120 (Lahore) and NA-4 (Peshawar) respectively. In fact, Sheikh even secured 5,822 votes. The MML’s road to the general elections is likely to be facilitated by whatever means. Saeed was released from detention as no charges were pressed — the Pakistan Army appears to be resisting US pressure under strategic guidance from China.

President Donald Trump’s first tweet of 2018 focused on Pakistan’s unwillingness to deliver in the domain of counter terror. He rued the assistance the US has extended to Pakistan which amounted to $33 billion in 15 years and wished to withhold $225 million of aid that was in the pipeline. However, US ability to coerce action out of Pakistan appears much reduced because Pakistan largely controls the logistics of US forces deployed in Af-Pak and can calibrate situations there. The US hot and cold policy is not helpful. On November 17, 2017, US media reported that Congress had decided to remove the clause of “action taken” against the LeT by the Pakistani government, before releasing funds as compensation for Pakistan’s cooperation in the war on terror. All this, along with the lead role Pakistan plays in the recently constituted International Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), is contributing to its strategic confidence.

A wide political space has emerged in Pakistan’s polity due to the marginalisation of mainstream parties. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is a shadow of its former self and restricted mostly to Sindh. The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML), which has the propensity of bouncing back, is on a path of self-destruction, although largely under the manipulation of the Pakistan Army. Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (TeI) continues to struggle to find space in the mainstream. With elections in 2018, it is apparent that varying shades of political ideology are waiting to jump on the bandwagon.

The LeT/JuD has suddenly found support from an unlikely source. Former president, General Pervez Musharraf, now in temporary self-imposed exile, has endorsed the LeT/JuD stating that he was always very fond of it and its leader Hafiz Saeed, especially for its ability to “suppress” the Indian Army in Kashmir. With Musharraf’s backing, Saeed will be on a roll especially since there is a competing force in Masood Azhar’s Jaish e Mohammad (JeM), which is also making inroads into the terror space. The JeM has returned from the dog house after an earlier attempted assassination of Musharraf. It has shown no intent of garnering political space as yet but is more energetic in its presence in Kashmir, with some recent so-called fidayeen actions against military camps. It has now made additional inroads with the recent fidayeen action with local volunteers against the Letpura police camp in Pulwama.

Musharraf’s backing gives the LeT greater legitimacy and the MML is bound to cash in on this and its goodwill with the deep state. Going by the past pattern of Pakistan elections, the ideological presence in the streets could hardly be converted to any advantage in the ballot box. That could well change because no groundswell in favour of any liberal ideology appears evident.

With the LeT/JuD mainstreamed, it won’t be long before other radical parties follow suit. For all of them, the loyalty towards political Islam is best demonstrated through a stronger anti-India label and that means action in J&K. Leading the pack is the LeT/JuD; the JeM is not far behind. They have demonstrated in the past the ability to act big in terms of triggers. Thus, it may not be J&K alone but the entire Indian space which they could be examining. India’s intelligence agencies, no doubt, have done a commendable job but to keep a determined suicide-type terror squad at bay is never easy.

Pakistan’s Army Chief recently briefed the entire Senate on issues related to foreign policy and security leaving no one in doubt about who is in charge in these crucial areas. His offer of supporting political leaders to find peace with India was punctuated by remarks about Indian intelligence services’ involvement in Pakistan’s internal security issues. General Bajwa also spoke for Saeed, giving him licence to pursue his activities in Kashmir as a free citizen of Pakistan.

By their remarks on Saeed and the ways in which he targets India, both Bajwa and Musharraf may have actually made deniability by Pakistan’s deep state more difficult. Saeed’s henchmen would no doubt be analysing the various actions by ISIS surrogates in Europe and the US and culling the finer points to deploy a similar strategy in South Asia. A deniable support by the deep state to an action which targets Indian space outside J&K, and stays within the rubicon of tolerance in terms of the quantum of casualties, is something that planners in Pakistan would be examining. Military targets in particular, including facilities at cantonments all over India, need to remain on high alert.

India needs to be circumspect about the current achievements in J&K and not be lulled by assumptions about the winter conditions. The hybrid nature of Pakistan’s proxy war demands eyes on the scanner in multiple domains to pick up straws that intelligence organisations require, giving us greater confidence in weathering the emerging threat. Simultaneously, its efforts towards initiatives to stabilise Kashmir and outreach to the restive populace must also continue with vigour. Creating hope in the people with transformational governance and better communication is still necessary.

An Army man stands guard outside the CRPF training camp during the second day of an encounter with fidayeen attackers, in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Monday. PTI

Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, January 1

The gunfight following the fidayeen attack on the Pulwama CRPF camp came to an end today after more than 36 hours with the killing of the third militant, a foreigner. This, as the bodies of militants Manzoor Ahmad Baba and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday, both from Pulwama district, who were slain yesterday, were buried amid clashes in which a youth sustained bullet injuries. CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav said: “It’s over now. Mopping-up operations are underway.” In Srinagar, Special Director General SN Srivastava said: “The two terrorists killed yesterday were locals. The one killed today was a foreigner. A search is still on. We want to double-check before calling off the operation.” (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The fidayeen attack on Sunday was the third in 2017. The two local militants were buried in Drubgam and Hayena amid a sea of mourners and a complete shutdown in Pulwama and Shopian districts. In Drubgam, a youth sustained bullet injuries on the face and shoulder after the forces reportedly opened fire on protesters. Pulwama SSP Chaudhary Muhammad Aslam said they were trying to ascertain the facts. “An Army vehicle was heavily stoned near Drubgam.  The police are trying to  find out the details,” he said.Meanwhile, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D Anbu visited the units in north Kashmir to review the security situation. “He interacted with troops and conveyed his New Year greetings. He  complimented them for their determination and alertness,” an Army official said.

On New Year eve, people from across the world thronged Golden Temple to pray for a prosperous 2018.

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 31

On the eve of New Year, lakhs of devotees from across the world today paid obeisance at Golden Temple and prayed for a prosperous 2018.The gathering at the shrine began in the early morning hours. According to Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) authorities, the inns were full to capacity and even there was no parking space available outside the shine or designated parking complex.Darbar Sahib manager Sulakhan Singh said around 2 lakh people were expected to visit the shrine and take a holy dip in the Sarovar midnight. The rush of devotees is likely to continue tomorrow as well. He said extra employees of the SGPC task force were deployed in the Parikarma for better management.Manoj Kumar, who came from Delhi, said, “I along with family and relatives decided to celebrate the New Year in the holy city after paying obeisance at Darbar Sahib.” His wife said the family was mesmerised over the peaceful atmosphere here.Meanwhile, the police had made tight security arrangements, especially near Golden Temple. Appropriate security was there at Lawrence Road and Ranjit Avenue which witnesses various programmes on New Year celebrations.Route diversion were done by the police. Special directions were issued for parking at Golden Temple. Parking wasn’t allowed for vehicles entering from Sultanwind Gate, Ghee Mandi, Maha Singh Gate and Ram Bagh Chowk. The commuters were asked to park their vehicle at Saragarhi parking. The police have also diverted routes for Lawrence Road. No vehicles were allowed in the evening.

New Delhi, January 28

Indian tunes will be the flavour of Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk tomorrow with 26 performances by the bands of armed forces, central police and state police contingents.The ceremony held on January 29 every year marks the culmination of the four-day Republic Day celebrations. As many as 26 performances will be held by the Army, Navy, Air Force, state police and Central Armed Police Force bands taking turns to enthrall the audience, including the President and other dignitaries.There will be 25 tunes prepared by the Indian musicians, including ‘Indian Soldiers’, ‘Herana Heran’, ‘Mushkoh Valley’, ‘Tejas’, ‘The Great Marshal’, ‘Namaste India’, among others. The only western tune will be ‘Abide with me’. The event will come to a close with the ever-popular tune of ‘Sare Jahan se Acha’, a statement from Defence Ministry said.This year, 18 military bands, 15 pipes and drums bands from regimental centres and battalions are participating in the ceremony, it said. The principal conductor of the Beating Retreat ceremony will be Maj Ashok Kumar. ‘Beating Retreat’ marks a centuries old military tradition. — PTI

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News service

Dehradun, January 25

As the nation rejoices being a Republic, those who worked for securing its hard-earned independence are struggling to make both ends meet. A prisoner of war (PoW) and Short Service Commission (SSC) officer during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971 Capt Vijendra Gurung is one of them.

 A Doonite Capt Gurung, who resides in Johri village on the outskirts of Dehradun, works as a labourer to eke out his living and awaits help from the Army. Being an SSC officer, he does not get any pension benefits. Despite being engrossed in his daily struggle of life, Capt Gurung still remembers the torture he faced at the hands of Pakistan after being taken prisoner during the 1971 war, where he was injured in the operation. “In 1971, I was an SSC officer of the 3rd battalion of the Assam Regiment and was posted at the Chhamb Jaurian sector in Jammu and Kashmir, when the Indo Pak war broke out. During the war, my platoon of 32 jawans was outnumbered by Pakistani troops. Though I managed to take my troops to safety, I was grievously injured and was taken as prisoner,” recalls Gurung.  He was released after 13 months as PoW by Pakistan and rejoined his regiment but was discharged being an SSC officer. Since then, he has been living a poverty-stricken life. He got no financial support either from the state government or the Army or any welfare organisations and was forced to work as a labourer. The only solace came from his school-day friends, who frequently contributes to meeting out his day-to-day needs. For the past four years, the friends, who are all from Military School, Chail, have made arrangements for his ration from a nearby shop in Johri village.One of his classmates, Capt Suresh Pandey, who also resides in Dehradun, was the first of Capt Gurung’s friends to come forward.  “I remember Gurung of being one of the brightest students in the school. He was an excellent sportsman and would participate in all co-curricular activities,” he said, expressing concern over his pitiable condition. Another friend Bhupendra Singh has also pledged to work for his close friend.An organisation of ex-servicemen has now come to his support. Brig TS Rawat, president of the Uttarakhand chapter of ‘T Sewa’, assured him of a monthly help of Rs 10,000. National festivals like Republic Day still have significance for Capt Gurung, who stands in attention whenever he hears the National Anthem. 

Captured in ‘71 war

In the 1971 Indo-Pak war, Capt Vijendra Gurung was captured by Pak forces. He was freed after 13 months of torture. He rejoined the Army but was discharged soon. Since he got no help from the state government or Army, he has been    working as a labourer to eke out his living.

MORE INPUTS FROM VETERANS

The government is burdened by a Rs 110-crore liability per month on account of pension arrears.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 23

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered immediate release of pending old-age pensions, with strict instructions to regularise payment to the beneficiaries.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The Chief Minister issued the directives during a meeting to review various schemes of the Department of Social Security and Women & Child Development here on Tuesday.Expressing concern over the non-payment of old-age pension in many places since April 2017, Captain Amarinder expressed the hope that the process of payment would be regularised by March, with directions to make December payment by January 31. Pointing out that the government was burdened by a Rs 110-crore liability per month on account of pension arrears, the Chief Minister directed the department to start releasing the arrears in a staggered manner.The Chief Minister also directed the department to sort out the cases of absentee beneficiaries at the earliest, so that all eligible persons are included in the list, which now stands at 16,24,269, against the earlier 19,87,196. The meeting was informed that 93,521 cases (4.71%) had been found to be ineligible, while another 1,96,478 were absentee cases.The ineligible cases related to those who did not fulfil the eligibility criteria, an official spokesperson said after the meeting.The meeting also discussed a proposal to implement the electronic benefit transfer scheme to ensure timely and smooth direct payment of pension to the beneficiaries, he added.In another decision, Captain Amarinder ordered to get latest specifications, including colour, for the free bicycles being distributed to girls, with no photograph of the Chief Minister, in contrast to the existing practice of having the CM’s picture on these specially coloured blue and saffron bicycles.The issue of vacant Group A, B, C and D posts for the disabled in all government departments was also discussed, and the Chief Minister was apprised that 287 of the 899 vacancies had so far been filled by the Department. Captain Amarinder has ordered the remaining vacancies to be filled by April 30.Social Security Minister Razia Sultana and Deputy Speaker Punjab Vidhan Sabha Ajaib Singh Bhatti were among those who attended the meeting.

India is changing, so must its rules. Single-parent friendly passport is a progressive step in consonance with the fast-evolving social ethos where single parent families are not unusual. The Foreign Office’s decision to exclude the parents’ name from the passport will no longer worry children of divorcee/separated parents, orphans and even those born out of wedlock. The online passport application form too would require the name of only one parent. The new rules are not born out of a vacuum but stem from a tangible societal need. Rather it is a logical corollary to the earlier Supreme Court ruling which did away with mentioning the father’s name on the birth certificate. As it is, single parents face numerous challenges while bringing up their children. Government regulations must lessen, rather than add to that burden. The recommendation came from a three-member committee which comprised not just Foreign Office mandarins, but also Women and Child Development Ministry officials who are best placed to understand the current day requirements of women and children. Being a single parent, especially a single mother, is not easy. Even though the Delhi High Court had ruled in 2016 that mother’s name is sufficient for issuing a passport, individual examples of harassment in procurement of passport have invariably come to the fore. To insist upon the name of the parent who has forsaken responsibility is certainly irrational, if not bizarre.There is no data currently available about the percentage of children belonging to single-parent households. Irrespective of the number of such children, social expectations demand new thinking and new rules. The merits of MEA’s other proposals such as orange passport for those requiring ECR (emigration check required) and passport no longer valid as address proof can be debated. However, there is no disputing the upside of liberalising rules that makes documentation less cumbersome and deals with social conundrums in a manner befitting a liberal and modern society. Rules are not just jottings on application forms but a precursor to the much-needed social churning and can pave the way forward.

College students throw stones at security personnel in Srinagar. Tribune file Photo

Delhi, January 12

Social media and government schools in Jammu and Kashmir are spreading “disinformation” resulting in radicalisation of youth, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat claimed today while calling for “some control” over mosques and madrasas in the state.He said a “major revamp” of the education system was needed in the state to deal with the problem.General Rawat said the issue of exercising some control over mosques and madrasas to check the flow of disinformation was being looked into.Addressing a press conference on the eve of Army Day, General Rawat said each classroom in government schools in Jammu and Kashmir had a separate map of the state besides that of India. This sowed the seeds of thought of some kind of “separate identity” among the children, he said.“The damage is also being done to us through the social media. A disinformation campaign is being carried out in Jammu and Kashmir which is radicalising the youth through the social media and through the schools,” he said.“The other issue is the madrasas and mosques — what is being taught to the students or incorrectly told to them is through these institutions only. I think some control has to be exercised there,” General Rawat said.He, however, did not elaborate on what kind of control he was suggesting over such institutions.General Rawat also suggested that some stone throwers in Kashmir were youth from government schools.He said students from the schools, like Delhi Public School, were not found involved in activities such as stone-throwing. The Army Chief added that was the reason for the Army-run ‘Goodwill Schools’ being accorded higher status. He said opening more public schools was the way forward. — PTI‘Separate maps in classrooms’General Bipin Rawat said each classroom in the government schools in Jammu and Kashmir had a separate map of the state besides that of India. This sowed the seeds of thought of some kind of “separate identity” among the children, he said.

In 1893, Swami Vivekananda famously invoked India’s embracing “inclusivity” in his seminal address to the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago by stating: “I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites who came to southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny.”

In 2013, 120 years later, then Israeli President Shimon Peres reciprocated the sentiment while also calling Mahatma Gandhi a “prophet” and stated: “I think India is the greatest show of how so many differences in language and sects can coexist facing great suffering and keeping full freedom…”.

India has a rare record with Judaism before Aaliyah (emigration of Jews to Israel) with its Malabar Jews dating back to the King Solomon era, Paradesi Jews (Spanish and Portuguese), the Bene Israel community who arrived 900 years back, Baghdadi Jews and more recent converts Bnei Menashe (Mizo and Kuki tribesman) and Bene Ephraim (“Telegu Jews”). As Rabbi Metzger presciently put it: “Jews have lived in India for over 2,000 years and have never been discriminated against. This is something unparalleled in human history”. This civilisational-historical fact overcame the official “distance” between the two nations till 1992.

The fructification of the religion-based Zionist movement led to the creation of the modern State of Israel in 1948. This genealogical fact militated against India’s own bloody Partition caused by a religion-based vivisection. Even Mahatma Gandhi had wholeheartedly empathised and sympathised with the Jews over their persecution but couldn’t agree with the forcible occupation of Palestine under the pretext of “sanction for it is sought in the Bible” — so the moral conundrum of forcing out the Arabs was unjustifiable for him, thus the initiation of the Indian position. The “hyphenation” of the “Israeli-Palestinian” context established itself in the immediate aftermath of all the subsequent Indo-Israeli moves. Though the contradictions emanating from the steadfast pro-Pakistan tilt of Arab nations (particularly on Kashmir) posited a genuine conundrum on India to continue favouring the cause of Palestine, at the cost of normalising the relationship with the reality of Israel. India recognised Israel (after opposing Israel’s UN membership in 1949) in 1950, after King Farouk of Egypt had voted in favour of Pakistan over the Hyderabad issue.

Despite the absence of full-fledged diplomatic relations, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru is said to have reached out to the Israelis over the 1962 Sino-Indian war and got military wares. Despite the utopian notions of the nonaligned movement co-propounded by Nehru and Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser, the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars further complicated the situation with the Arabs clearly tilting in favour of Pakistan, while Israel unequivocally supported India, both diplomatically and militarily (as per the P.N. Haksar papers). This despite India supporting Egyptian nationalisation of the Suez Canal, denouncing Israel in the “Six Day War” and the continued support to the Palestinian cause. India, in the 1970s and 1980s, was repeatedly attacked by strictures from the Organisation of Islamic Conference and the period saw substantial moral, diplomatic and financial funding by Arabs towards Pakistan’s India-centric nuclear programme (despite that India was the first non-Arab nation to diplomatically accredit the PLO).

However, Israel’s own history of contradictory rapprochement with arch-rivals like Jordan and Egypt made India’s ostensibly anti-Israel behaviour contextually understandable. Israel was familiar with the spectre of the then Soviet Union and China voting against Israel in UN forums while simultaneously deepening bilateral relations and trade. The realpolitik of the evolving situation in the early 1990s warranted the normalising of India-Israel ties. With this backdrop, rumours of Indo-Israeli talks about doing an Osirak-style-military attack on Pakistan’s Kahuta nuclear facilities gained credibility.

The changing geopolitics in 1990s with the Cold War’s end, the emergence of Islamic terror in the Middle East and gradual warming of India-US ties led to the establishment of full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992, while still retaining the so-called moral position on Palestine. Since then, the balance on the Israel-Palestinian axis has been broadly maintained, with increasing symbolic gestures of tilting towards Tel Aviv. India’s abstention in the vote condemning Israel over the 2014 Gaza war, abstaining again on a Unesco resolution calling Israel “an occupation force in Jerusalem” and the recent Narendra Modi visit, which sought to “dehyphenate” the Israel-Palestinian context with the PM only visiting Israel, not the West Bank: all this is symptomatic of the emerging new order.

Today, Israel is the second biggest foreign military supplier for India, poised to pip the US over the long term. Its cutting-edge military technology is buttressed with crucial intelligence-sharing, strategic tieups beyond military wares into the field of agriculture, commerce and space technology. The burgeoning civilian transactions already make India the eighth largest trading partner for Israel, helping override occasional hiccups like the recent cancellation of a $500 million order for the Spike anti-tank guided missiles. It is this larger narrative, contextual understanding and the obvious portents of “natural allies” which will allow the growing India-Israel equation to overcome India’s recent vote in the UN Security Council against the recent American move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

For India, supporting the Palestinians is a moral obligation and it needn’t be a deal-breaker in the Indo-Israeli equation. Israel will understand the sincerity and consistency of the Indian position on the “two-nation solution” on the future of Palestine even if it disagrees with the exact means, dimensions and contours of New Delhi’s stand. The future Indo-Israeli possibilities are immense — as even in the military domain the Israeli components are essentially of “systems”, as opposed to complete “military platforms” like tanks, warships or fighter planes, as yet. Israel has shown remarkable flexibility in adapting to topical necessities — such as the recent murmurs of an Israeli-Saudi understanding on Iran. Therefore, for it to sift through the evolving Indian position on Palestine, and yet solidify the Indo-Israeli framework with the impending visit of Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu to India, is entirely possible, justifiable and morally tenable.