Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 8

The Army on Wednesday paid tributes to its four soldiers, including a Major, who were killed in a fierce gunfight in north Kashmir’s mountainous Gurez sector on Tuesday.The tributes were led by Srinagar-based 15 Corps chief Lt Gen AK Bhatt at a ceremony at the Badamibagh cantonment in the city. Director General of Police SP Vaid was also present, a defence spokesman said.The bodies of the four soldiers were flown for their last rites to their native places, where they would be laid to rest with full military honours, the spokesman said.“In this hour of grief, the Army stands in solidarity with the bereaved families and remains committed to their dignity and well-being,” the spokesman said.The slain soldiers included Major Kaustubh Prakash Kumar Rane, Rifleman Hameer Singh, Rifleman Mandeep Singh Rawat and Gunner Vikramjeet Singh. They were provided immediate first aid and evacuated to 92 Base Hospital but succumbed to their injuries.Two militants who were attempting to infiltrate into the Kashmir valley were also killed in the gunfight.Major Kaustubh Prakash Kumar Rane (29) was a Sena Medal recipient and had joined the Army in 2011. He hailed from Thane, Maharashtra, and is survived by his wife and a son. The two Riflemen were from Uttarakhand, while the Gunner was from Tepla village in Haryana.

Tribune News Service

Talwandi Sabo, August 20Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann on Monday backed Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is being criticised for hugging Pakistan army chief. Mann said Sidhu had not committed any crime. “Both countries share the same tradition. If we have better relations with each other, we can save a huge amount spent on defence and use this money on development works,” he said. He lashed out at the BJP for its “politics of hatred”. On Sukhpal Khaira’s demand for autonomy for state AAP, he said the issue appeared baseless since Khaira was already taking all decisions on his own.Meanwhile, on the controversy sparked by Sidhu’s recent visit to Pakistan, Khaira supported the minister, saying a hug was merely a “Punjabi way” of greeting.

Jakhar asks Centre to clarify on Kartarpur corridor

Praises Tourism Minister for initiative during Pak visit

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 20

Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Monday asked the BJP-led NDA government to clarify its stand on the Kartarpur corridor, a long-pending demand of the Sikh community.Appreciating Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s initiative on the corridor during his recent visit to Pakistan, Jakhar said the ball was now in the Indian Government’s court. He said it was up to the External Affairs Ministry to take up the matter with Pakistan at the diplomatic level. He said opening the corridor was all the more important in view of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.Jakhar congratulated Sidhu for presenting a Kashmiri pashmina shawl to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. “Sidhu conveyed the message subtly yet so strongly that Kashmir belongs to us and we are gifting you a pashmina shawl from there,” Jakhar said. “But you don’t expect the BJP to understand such subtle but powerful messages,” he added.In Amritsar, SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said Sidhu’s statement on the corridor could not be taken at face value as he represented a party (Congress) and a state government. “We will support Sidhu and call his visit fruitful only if the Pakistan Army chief himself issues a statement to open access to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib. We have taken up the issue repeatedly with the Home Ministry,” he said.Former Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Giani Kewal Singh said India should make the most of this opportunity. “It is for the first time that the Pakistan Army chief has put forth such a proposal,” he added.SAD (Delhi) president Paramjit Singh Sarna said Sidhu’s efforts had rekindled hopes of the Sikh community. “We have been trying to get it (corridor) done for the past 18 years,” he said.

Lt-Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)
Chancellor, Central University of KashmirGoing by the reactions to Navjot Sidhu’s visit to Islamabad for Prime Minister Imran Khan’s inauguration, there appears no stomach in India for any initiative to recommence any kind of peace process with Pakistan. The visit was but a diversion and insufficiently important to merit serious comment but did hold significance as an indicator of sentiment in India for its western neighbour. There has recently been an array of assessments on India-Pakistan relations meandering between giving Imran a chance to grow on his job and seek peace, and outright condemnation based upon his initial utterances, change of persona which is now much more Islamist and his kowtowing with the Generals to achieve his life’s ambition. Post inauguration, he has given much emphasis in his address to the mismatch of layers within the Pakistani society.In the context of India-Pakistan relations, no one expects any major change or initiative immediately under Imran and neither should one. Given the controlled freedom of action he exercises, he will not be permitted the independence to bring about change. Analysts have been elusive about what could lie in store for Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). If anything at all, the number of attempted infiltration attempts at the LoC in the last three weeks should give us a line of thinking on what the Deep State may well brief Imran Khan about. From Gurez to Tangdhar and Lipa, attempts at pushing in terrorists appear to have taken the priority even as south of Pir Panjal is relatively quiet. The strength of terrorists is not really a challenge because the resources from local recruitment continue to be available, albeit the fact that this is limited to South Kashmir. The ability to drive Pakistan’s agenda is not as well served by the local content as it is by the foreign (read Pakistani) terrorists (FTs). The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), which has been relatively quiet during the election period in Pakistan, is known to have been expanding its Bahawalpur facility. It is well known that for every unsuccessful infiltration, there are at least one or two successful ones. Thus, with recent efforts, and what could be lined up in the immediate future, the strength of FTs is likely to go up, primarily in North Kashmir. Even as Pakistan continues to struggle domestically, the inexpensive calibration of the situation in the Kashmir Valley is likely to persist. The prime rationale for this can be reasonably assessed.Firstly, the finances for the Kashmir campaign never did come out of legitimate funds; it is well known how the separatist and terror-based industry functions on illegitimate funding hardly affecting Pakistan’s economy. Second, the Pakistan army does feel that the situation in Kashmir is not yet disadvantageous to its aims. It needs to retain the energy to continue the calibration and do it quietly. Third, and linked to the second, is the probable belief that with Governor’s rule, the focus of the authorities in the Valley has shifted to development and with no political compulsions to divert attention, the administration is likely to satisfy the needs of the people to a far greater degree. That situation is detrimental to Pakistani and separatist interests. With a relative decline in large-scale terror activity and street turbulence, the infusion of FTs is intended to re-energise the grid. In Kashmir, it is not just the importance of terrorist strength but also the requirement of appropriate leadership which is necessary. The citadel for this leadership lies in the Sopore-Handwara belt extending to Sumbal and Hajan which appear uncharacteristically quiet, indicating the success the security forces have been able to gain. Resurgence here and in the layback areas of Rafiabad and Rajwar will indicate the success of infiltration if it does get the better of the very strong dragnet at the LoC. The fact that the Pakistan army decided to breach the ceasefire in Tangdhar of all places does indicate the level of desperation to revive North Kashmir before it gets too late. It risked drawing response in Nilam Valley, its Achilles’ heel. The Indian Army’s LoC troops have innovated well to restrain themselves and yet deliver some telling blows to their adversary without crossing the LoC. With a level of urgency to reactivate north Kashmir by the deep state, the authorities will need to balance their strategy and not make the mistake of prioritising between the north and the south. Both are equally important. The three issues in the security sphere which must receive their undivided attention are recruitment, infiltration and terrorist leadership. The Amarnath Yatra with all its significance has drawn away intelligence and security resources. Now the panchayat and municipality polls will continue diverting resources and attention; this is the window that Pakistan’s Deep State would be eyeing with glee. The Army’s additional resources which have been available for the Amarnath Yatra would, in all probability, remain available for the polls coming up two weeks later. However, these should be retained till the end of the year and the arrival of snow, for appropriate deployment as per the Unified Command’s assessment, while keeping the three issues in focus. The successful conduct of the municipal and panchayat polls must be followed by empowerment. The last panchayat polls of 2011 were wasted despite the immense enthusiasm displayed by the people. Neglect in doing it this time will only result in more dismay and loss of confidence in the state. 

The duration of Governor’s rule is a bonanza for the state as far as pending issues of the administration are concerned but it is also a period to make amends on the political front. Grassroot political activity, so characteristically missing in the Valley and other terror-hit areas, needs to revive along with field visits of government officials. The security situation has always been a ready excuse for the lack of such activity beyond district and tehsil dak bungalows. The administration will surprise itself with the enthusiasm that the people will display once politicians and officials can relate to people more effectively. However, in doing so, a part of the security resources will get divested from other priority tasks. It is the balancing act with the limited security resources which will dictate success in the immediate future in the Valley. Thinking beyond that may at present be a little futile. 

Trump has impacted India’s ties with Russia by ignoring Pakistan

Shahzad Raza
Senior islamabad-based journalistRecently, top US national security advisors scrambled to salvage the strategic NATO alliance to keep Russia away from it historic influence over Eastern Europe. Meanwhile, the American press as also the policy makers counseled President Trump against isolating Pakistan. They fear an isolated Pakistan would fall in the lap of Russia. The US president, a so-called hero of white supremacists, seemed least bothered.For months the hawks of Washington were urging the Trump administration to choke the military assistance and funding to Pakistan. They accused the South Asian country of harbouring terrorists and continue supporting non-state actors in Afghanistan. Under the new South Asian policy, the Trump administration believed India could be a more dependable and trustworthy partner to resolve the Afghan quandary, instead of Pakistan. It reflected their short-sightedness Pak-US relations are as low as they were during era of the Pressler Amendment. Both countries have been accusing each other for different reasons. Misunderstandings are beyond counting. Expectations are beyond imagination.The Trump administration has not only denied financial assistance to the Pakistan army, it has also refused to train senior Pakistan army officials in the US academic and military institutions. Since 2001, hundreds of Pakistan army officials visit the US every year to get training in modern warfare under the Pentagon’s International Military Education and Training (IMERT). The idea behind that decade-long exercise was to equip Pakistani military officials with necessary skills to combat terrorism at the strategic level.Islamabad anticipated harsh decisions by the Trump administration and hence started cultivating relations with Moscow, especially after an infamous tweet by President Trump on the eve of New Year. Trump had accused Pakistan of cheating, deceiving and backstabbing.Last week, Islamabad signed a similar agreement with Moscow which it had signed with the United States after 9/11. Now Pakistan military officials would get enrolment in the Russian institutions for the training. The supply of military hardware and equipment is also expected to increase in coming years.Moscow also sent its envoy in Islamabad to meet prime minister in-waiting Imran Kahn, at the latter’s residence. The Russian ambassador urged Imran Khan to fast track the growing relations between the two countries. Khan expressed interest in economic cooperation and told the envoy that Russian that drilling companies should come and explore oil and gas in Pakistan. The two countries are also motivated by the threats of a growing presence of Islamic State militants in neighboring Afghanistan which may jeaopardise key Russian interests in Iran and Central Asia as well.Though Islamabad-Moscow relations are 70 years old, they could never grow beyond diplomatic formalities. During several eras they remained hostile due to Pakistan’s closeness with Washington. In the 1980s when the then Soviet Union had its Red Army in Afghanistan to prop up its communist ally in Kabul, Pakistan helped Washington and Riyadh wage a global jihad against one of the two super powers. As a frontline state, Pakistan contributed a lot in defeating the Red Army that ultimately culminated into breakup of Soviet Union.Moscow’s annoyance against Islamabad was, in fact, growing much before the invasion of Afghanistan. For instance, in 1960, Soviet forces shot down an American U-2 spy aircraft in its territory that had taken off from one of the Pakistani airbases. Soviet Union then threatened Pakistan of dire consequences. During first Afghan war, the Pakistani nation was taught a factually wrong narrative that the Soviet Union wanted access to warm waters through Pakistan. What ultimately happened was catastrophic for Pakistan. Soviet forces went back. Afghanistan became a mess. And Pakistan paid the price with more than 60,000 lives and billions of dollars of financial losses.Another big reason for Pakistan seeking Russian support is its fragile economy. The country needs IMF bailout package worth more than $ 5 billion to repay due installments of its foreign loans. They are heavily relying on Chinese and knocking every other door to keep the IMF at bay. Moscow is one of the doors. Secondly, after a flat refusal by Washington, Islamabad’s reliance on Beijing and Moscow would grow as far as the military hardware is concerned. During his last visit to Moscow Pakistan’s army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa discussed the possibility of buying Russian engines for the Chinese made JF-17 fighters. Pakistan is also interested in buying air defence systems and the T-90 tanks. Discussion has also been started to sign Sukhoi-35 deal.Russian intelligence network and physical footprint in Pakistan is gradually growing. It has opened a consulate in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, a province which has a long border with Afghanistan. The Russian companies would venture into oil and gas sector during the upcoming government of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf. If it happens, that would be second biggest economic cooperation after 1971 Steel Mills agreement.The pace of Pak-Russia relations is slow and, therefore, it is not raising many eyebrows in Washington or New Delhi. However, improving relations with Russia would be one of the key elements of Khan’s foreign policy. And he, apparently, enjoys the complete backing of the General Headquarters on this.

Chandigarh, August 8

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has exempted ex-servicemen and senior citizens from the mandatory dope test for issuance and renewal of arms licences.The decision has been taken in response to a request by ex-servicemen/senior citizen groups. It was pointed out that many people in these categories had been in possession of arms licences for decades. The CM agreed that they were fit cases for exemption considering their track record and age.The decision comes about six months after the government decided to make it mandatory for all applicants to undergo a compulsory dope test to qualify for a weapon licence. — TNS