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Photo for representational purpose only.

Islamabad, April 5

Pakistan on Friday announced that it will release 360 Indian prisoners, mostly fishermen, this month in four phases, as a “goodwill gesture” amidst tensions between the two countries after the Pulwama terror attack

Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said the process of releasing the Indian fishermen will start on April 8 when 100 prisoners will be released. In the second phase on April 5, another 100 will be released. In the third phase on April 22, another 100 will be released and in the fourth and last phase on April 29, the remaining 60 prisoners will be released.

“We are doing it as goodwill gesture and hope that India will reciprocate it,” Faisal said while addressing his weekly briefing to the media in Islamabad.

The spokesperson said currently there are 347 Pakistani prisoners in India and 537 Indian prisoners in Pakistan.

“Pakistan will release 360 Indian prisoners, of which 355 are fishermen and 5 are civilians,” he said.

The fishermen will be taken from Karachi to Lahore and handed over to Indian officials at the Wagah border.

Anwar Kazmi, a spokesman of Edhi welfare organisation, which helps the released fishermen with clothes and food, told PTI from Karachi that the process of releasing the fishermen will start from Sunday.

“First a group of 100 fishermen will be taken from Karachi to Lahore on Allama Iqbal Express on Sunday,” he said.

They are likely to be handed over to India on Monday at Wagah. They spent months and sometimes years before repatriated.

Pakistan and India frequently arrest fishermen as there is no clear demarcation of the maritime border in the Arabian Sea and these fishermen do not have boats equipped with the technology to know their precise location.

Owing to lengthy and slow bureaucratic and legal procedures, the fishermen usually remain in jail for several months and sometimes years.

Pakistan’s announcement to release the fishermen came amidst escalating tensions between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group killed 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14.

India launched a counter-terror operation against a JeM training camp in Balakot in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. PTI

The Principal Bench of the AFT made these comments in its judgment in the case of a Brigadier of the Army Education Corps (AEC) who had not been promoted to the rank of Major General despite being approved by a promotion board because he was medically unfit.

The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has ruled that there cannot be different set of medical standards for promotion for Combat Arms and Services in the Army in any rank, and in particular senior ranks of Major General and above, where they are to “lead from the front” and set examples for others in the organisation to follow.

The Principal Bench of the AFT made these comments in its judgment in the case of a Brigadier of the Army Education Corps (AEC) who had not been promoted to the rank of Major General despite being approved by a promotion board because he was medically unfit. The Brigadier had contended that since the only post, which he was to hold as a Major General was located in New Delhi he could be posted there in his low medical category too.

The bench comprising Justice Virender Singh and Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra (retd) has said that medical fitness for promotion to higher ranks is an important facet of military services considering the nature of duties performed.

“There is no dispute that the requirement of medical fitness is applied uniformly to Combat Arms, Combat Support Arms and Services, including minor corps. An officer, right from his joining the service till he leaves, is subjected to same medical standards applicable for all officers,” the bench said.

It added that to question the validity of application of similar medical standards for all officers in the Army, irrespective of their Arm, Service or their rank, “is to question the organisation, structure and ethos of the Army,” which is not in the realm of the court. “By allowing discretion and liberal application of medical status for promotion or employment to some Arms or Services or specifically to some officers would make the entire policy discriminatory and biased, which shall be detrimental for a disciplined organisation like the Army,” the order read.

The bench said that all officers, at the time of joining the Army, follow the same medical standards and eligibility criteria, irrespective of the Arms or Service that they subsequently serve. Consequently, they take oath to serve at land, sea or air, whenever the situation so demands.

“Medical fitness continues to remain a hallmark of their growth in the Army and their consequent employment as they rise in ranks. Tinkering with this sacred yardstick or questioning the validity of this would shake the very edifice, on which the foundation of the Indian Army is built on. We, thus, have no hesitation to state unequivocally that there cannot and should not be different set of medical standards for promotion for Combat Arms and Service in any rank and in particular senior ranks of Major General and above, where they are to lead from the front and set examples for others in the organisation to follow,” the bench said.

However, the bench has also said that there is a need for the government to re-visit the guidelines set for the classification of officers suffering from hypertension so as to void any ambiguity in future.

The AFT order deals with the new health care system in the Army introduced in 2011, which laid down the policy and medical classification of officers. Under this policy a COPE Coding System was put in place to guide the employability of Army Officers under: (a) C – Climate and terrain restrictions (b) O – Degree of medical observation required (c) P – Physical capability limitation (d) E – Exclusive limitations as per disease. In that, with each alphabet depicting a different level and type of restriction/limitation on the serving officers of the Army.

Lack of empathy and understanding of an operational requirement due to bureaucratic procedures and attitudes is a cause for concern. In any other country, where the political and bureaucratic climate is cognisant of military urgencies, many heads would have rolled.

Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd)
Addl Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies, New Delhi

THE Pulwama and Balakot incidents have pushed into the background the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the Indian Air Force (IAF) acquisitions, of which the Rafale deal hogged the limelight. Despite the favourable Pulwama end state being achieved, albeit temporary, there is an imperative that needs urgent government attention. Tucked away in the CAG report is a cry beseeching a look into what one may call ‘defence distress’, paraphrasing the term from the agrarian and farmers’ distress that every politician is talking about. The last two are vote banks which no politician can be reticent about, as they are leveraged through morchas, hartals and strikes. Unfortunately, when defence distress strikes, it is deadly, and often ‘fatal’ in a way. The Balakot incident demonstrated resoundingly that India has had enough of Pakistan’s support to terrorism; however, it should not divert our attention from the fact that defence pangs are a reality and the tell-tale signs should be recognised and acted upon. There are three pointers that need elaboration; though IAF examples are discussed, the issues are valid for other defence forces too.

Critiquing sub-optimal defence procurement procedures, CAG has commented that the non-conclusion of a usage contract precluded the use of the flight simulator for the C-130 Hercules aircraft till 2016, despite it being ready four years earlier. In the interim, India lost five air warriors and a multi-million-dollar aircraft in 2014, attributed to a training issue. This is the first pointer — lack of empathy and understanding of an operational requirement  due to bureaucratic procedures and attitudes (remember, the simulator was fully ready). In any other country, where the political and bureaucratic climate is cognisant of military urgencies, many heads would have rolled.

The second pointer is of an intangible kind, which, if neglected, shows up with deadly results later. The HAL-built HPT-32 trainer was grounded in 2009 after many accidents, 13 of which were fatal. Many red flags had been raised about the stone-like gliding quality of the HPT after an engine failure (a frequent occurrence). The IAF had pulled along till the proverbial straw fell on the camel’s back and we lost two flying instructors at the Air Force Academy (AFA). The HPT was grounded, throwing the training profiles of rookie pilots into bedlam, and for the next few years a sub-optimal training pattern on the HJT-16 Kiran was followed. The emergency purchase of the Pilatus aircraft revolutionised training; AFA’s flight line was chock-a-block with the gleaming new trainers till 2017 or so when, due to non-finalisation of maintenance contracts, a severe lack of spares ensued. This is the situation even now, as per media reports. However, training has to continue to ensure a regular pilot feed for frontline squadrons and one is sure that cannibalisation (shifting) of spares among aircraft is being done and extension given to parts whose life is expiring. The situation must be similar for some other fleets, too, as many acquisition and upgrade programmes have been inordinately delayed, a fact stated by the Air Chief last month. This unacceptable situation is the second indicator of a serious problem, where lack of funds could be pushing reliability of war- fighting equipment towards an unsafe zone, which may translate into tragic results later.

The third warning is where op-preparedness starts getting affected. Under-equipping of the Indian Army was one of the major causes of the 1962 China debacle. At a recent conference, tears welled up in a retired Lt General’s eyes while narrating the humiliation the armed forces had felt then. “Thank God for the subsequent 1965 Indo-Pak war that brought back some self-respect,” remarked the General. After 1962, the government funded an accelerated re-equipping plan and the victory in the 1971 war bears witness to that effort. However, as per recent media reports, we are on the downslide again with a shortage of fighter squadrons and many critical items; soldiers’ rifles are having to be imported by the fast-track route, ammunition is in short supply, and sniper rifles, Naval helicopters and MiG-29 fighters for the IAF are planned to be imported too. But will these just remain plans, as this year’s defence acquisition budget is insufficient even for previously concluded contracts? Answers to these pointers have a bearing on what happens hereafter.

Will the post-Pulwama happenings deter Pakistan? The answer is an emphatic no. It is time to remember Bernard Brodie, the doyen of strategic thought, who said, “Avoidance of blackmail can be achieved only by demonstrating that our readiness to accept risks need not be and is not less than the blackmailer’s.” 

History shows that adversaries cannot be reformed as per one’s wish but have to be coped with through management strategies in which hard power is vital to prevent blackmail. Addressing defence concerns (though not a vote catcher) is an imperative first step to ‘manage’ Pakistan and simultaneously weigh against China. While short-term responses after the Pulwama attack will be implemented, long-term solutions require tons of money and decades of time spread over many governments. Of the three attributes that determine deterrence to prevent blackmail — resolve, capability and capacity — the Balakot incident demonstrated the first two; the third, dependent on an indigenous arms base, is in short supply. Politicians of all hues need to put their shoulders to the wheel and address defence preparedness in a bi-partisan manner — indigenous defence R&D and manufacture must be kickstarted. Hard power, in quality and quantity, is the key to building deterrence to avert future Pulwamas. Can every political party elaborate, in its election manifesto, what it would do to address defence preparedness? That would indeed be welcome.

Views are personal

Surge in mails after Balakot strike, most willing to quit jobs for Air Force stint again

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 20

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is lately dealing with a new surge of emotions, from its own retired personnel who wish to fight for the nation.

The IAF mailbox — email and normal mail — is flooded with requests from retired officers and airmen offering their services to the IAF, fearing the country may face some “exigency”.

Sources say retired fighter pilots, helicopter pilots, engineers and airmen (IAF nomenclature for jawans and JCOs) have sent in mails detailing their expertise along with rank, name and number held during service. All of them have offered to leave their existing jobs and enterprises and work for the Indian Air Force.

The mails have been trickling in since the air strike at Jaish-e-Mohammed’s Balakot terror camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on February 26 and subsequent air battle over Nowshera/Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on February 27 when Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman ejected in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

While the IAF has not accepted any such request, retired personnel are all in, apparently feeling that the Air Force may need manpower to monitor ground stations, radars, sensors and warplanes would need to be “hot-serviced” for a quick turnaround. All of them are trained men.

Normally, if an exigency arises, the duties would entail ground operations, managing logistics and back-end administration.

Old-timers recollect a similar surge in emotions during the Kargil conflict of 1999.

The IAF, on its part, has war-gamed its manpower needs in case of an emergency and conducted a pan-India exercise “Gagan Shakti-2018” from April 8-22, 2018, to validate it. The exercise was real-time coordination, deployment and employment of air power in a short and intense battle scenario.

During the exercise, more than 11,000 sorties were flown.

Rules for ‘reserves’

• Under the IAF Act, 1950, those who retire from the IAF are deemed to be on ‘reserve’ for a period of two years after retirement
• This means, if a war breaks out and the IAF suffers losses, medically-fit ‘reserves’ can be called back to duty
• The clause of ‘reserves’ does not apply to higher ranks where officers retire at 60 years of age

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan and returned, downed a Pakistani F16 fighter jet, from his MIG 21 BISON, a rare feat.

New Delhi, March 11

Two weeks after the airstrikes on the Jaish-e-Mohammed camp at Balakot in Pakistan, forces remain on high alert. Beneath the calm is a strain of tension. The armed forces — the Army, Navy and the IAF — on both sides remain on alert.

Today, when Lt Gen KJS Dhillion spoke in Srinagar and answered questions on firing from across the Line of Control (LoC), he summed up the underlying reality. “Pakistan is targeting our civilian areas as it has not been able to hit us. We have hit military targets,” he told the media.

On both sides there are daily alarms about air intrusion by UAVs. “That these are being detected and targeted means surveillance is at an all-time high,” said a senior officer, adding the UAVs were largely used to study movements in particular areas.

Air defence guns have been used to shoot down such UAVs. The navies have been constantly patrolling and the air force of both sides are flying air patrols, even as radar pictures and satellites are being used to track movement. The Army Chiefs of both countries have been visiting respective units on their own side.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has asked formations “to ensure readiness and be prepared to decisively deal with emerging challenges that may develop”. The General has been briefed on readiness of the Western Command as also the Northern Command. He has already visited the formations around Samba in Jammu and Kashmir, or locations north of ‘Shakargarh Bulge’.

Pitched battles have been fought in the past in these areas and also areas where the Ravi and the Satluj run a zig-zag course dividing the two Punjabs on both sides.

The Army Chief has been interacting with troops in the forward locations. He has “expressed complete confidence in the Indian Army’s capabilities to thwart any nefarious design of the enemies of the country and handle any situation”.

Supreme Court recently asked the Election Commission to allow Army personnel to vote like ordinary citizens at the place of their voting. File photo
Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, March 8

After the Supreme Court recently asked the Election Commission to allow Army personnel to vote like ordinary citizens at the place of their voting, the process of enrolment of nearly 7,000 jawans and officers posted at the Kapurthala Brigade started today.
The Kapurthala District Election staff today organised a camp for Kapurthala Military Station at the shopping complex of the new cantonment here. All armed personnel and their dependents posted here were provided Form No. 6 so that they could enrol themselves as general voters. The camp will continue for another day. Earlier, 15 lakh Army personnel used to exercise their franchise though postal ballots, which often used to get misplaced or reached late.

Lt Col HS Sangha (retd), an ex-serviceman who hails from Kala Sanghian village in Kapurthala and was a part of the camp, said, “While serving in the Army, we hardly got a chance to vote. But with the Supreme Court verdict coming in our favour last month and the ECI beginning to follow the directions, we hope that similar camps get started in 62 cantonments and nearly 149 military stations across the country”.
Col Sadhu Singh Ghuman (retd), an ex-serviceman based in Jalandhar, said, “While there are 15-16 units in Kapurthala, there will be nearly 63 units in Jalandhar, which is the corps headquarter. We are urging the BLOs to get nearly 17,000-18,000 Army personnel registered here. There will be a larger number of defence personnel posted at Gurdaspur, Ferozepur and Pathankot too, where local electoral officers need to enrol them to get the SC orders implemented.”

7,000 to be covered

The process to enrol 7,000 jawans and officers posted at the Kapurthala Brigade in the voters’ list began
Recently, the SC has asked the Election Commission to allow Army personnel to vote like ordinary citizens at the place of their voting
Earlier, 15 lakh Army personnel used to exercise their franchise though postal ballots, which often used to get misplaced or reached late

New Delhi, March 6

Amid heightened Indo-Pak tension, sources in the security establishment on Wednesday said Pakistan has mobilised additional troops and military equipment from its frontier with Afghanistan to forward positions in several sensitive sectors along the LoC in Kashmir.

The Indian Army on Wednesday also issued a stern warning to Pakistan against targeting civilians along the LoC, saying any further provocation or misadventure by it will have “dire consequences”.

Official sources said the warning came after Pakistan targeted forward posts in Nowshera sector with 155 mm artillery guns which was retaliated by the Indian Army with Bofors guns.

Sources said the military officials of the two armies spoke over the hotline on Tuesday during which India had asked Pakistani side not to target civilian population along the LoC.

“Post our warning to the Pakistan Army not to target civilian areas, the overall situation along the Line of Control remains relatively calm,” the Army said in a statement while reiterating the warning on Wednesday about attacks on civilians.

According to the statement, the Pakistan Army resorted to intense and unprovoked firing with heavy caliber weapons in selected areas of Krishna Ghati and Sunderbani, targeting Indian posts and civilian areas with mortar bombs and heavy guns.

“The same was effectively retaliated by the Indian Army. There have been no casualties on the Indian side,” it said.

A strict vigil is being maintained along the LoC and the international border and any further “provocation or misadventure by Pakistan will be responded in a befitting manner with dire consequences,” the statement added.

Tensions between the two countries escalated after Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest training camp near Balakot deep inside Pakistan on February 26.

Sources also post-Balakot strike, Pakistani side has mobilised additional troops and military equipment from its borders with Afghanistan to forward positions in several sensitive sectors along the LoC.

Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations on February 27. However, the IAF thwarted their plans.

The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers. — PTI

Photo for representational purpose only. AFP

New Delhi, March 7

The Editors Guild of India on Thursday “unequivocally” condemned Attorney General’s remarks before the Supreme Court pertaining to the documents based on which the media had reported on the Rafale deal, saying any attempt to use the Official Secrets Act against the media is as “reprehensible” as asking journalists to disclose their sources.

The Guild, in a statement, also denounced “threats” against the media in the matter and urged the government to refrain from initiating any action that might undermine the media’s freedom and independence.

“The Editors Guild of India unequivocally condemns the Attorney General’s comments before the Supreme Court pertaining to documents based on which the media, including The Hindu, had reported on the Rafale deal,” the statement said.

Attorney General K K Venugopal on Wednesday sought dismissal of a petition for a review of the apex court’s earlier judgment on allegations over the Rafale deal on the ground that the fresh petition had relied on documents that were “stolen” from the defence ministry and that investigations were going on to find out if it was a crime and violative of the Official Secrets Act, it said.

“Although the Attorney General later clarified that the investigation and contemplated action would not be initiated against journalists or lawyers who used these documents, the Guild is perturbed over such threats,” the statement said.

These will intimidate the media in general and curb its freedom to report and comment on the Rafale deal in particular, the Guild said.

“Any attempt to use the Official Secrets Act against the media is as reprehensible as asking the journalists to disclose their sources,” it said.

“The Guild denounces these threats and urges the government to refrain from initiating any action that might undermine the media’s freedom and independence,” the statement said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been attacking Modi over the Rafale deal, alleging corruption and favourtism. The government has denied the charges. PTI

Raj Kadyan

Every Army battalion appoints a duty officer of the week (DOW) with a charter of duties. Our battalion was in the process of being raised. With only a few officers posted, the DOW turn came every four or five weeks.

Our Second-in-Command (2IC), a bachelor with obsession for punctiliousness, came down with measles and was hospitalised. As DOW, I went to see him. Being outside visiting hours, I sought permission from the duty nurse. Seeing two stars on her shoulder, I executed a parade-ground salute. The loud clatter of my regulation 13-nail boots on the concrete sent panicked birds scurrying out of trees. Amused, she looked up enquiringly. I told her I had come to see Major MDC. ‘You can’t, he is in the segregation ward.’ Not meeting the 2IC would invite trouble. ‘Please, sister,’ I pleaded, ‘he is my 2IC and I have to see him.’ My entreaty worked. ‘Okay, at your own risk,’ she said.

Opening the door of the 2IC’s quarantined room, I faced a barrage of questions.  ‘How did you come in this ward?’ ‘I took permission from the duty nurse, Sir,’ I said, self-protectively. ‘Who is the nurse on duty?’ ‘I don’t know, Sir.’ Nameplates were not in vogue then. ‘That fair, good-looking, tall girl?’ I nodded. ‘The one whose little finger is as long as the ring finger?’ ‘I didn’t notice, Sir,’ I said, curiously surprised. ‘She has shown dereliction by violating orders. I will sort her out,’ he said threateningly.

Wishing him speedy recovery, I made my exit. Feeling guilty, I decided to warn the nurse, but she smiled uncaringly. I furtively looked at her finger oddity. The 2IC’s observation was spot-on. I wondered if he was showing more interest in the nurse than a patient should.

Being the Intelligence Officer, I shared office space with the Adjutant, a senior Major. He was friendly and loved tittle-tattle. I gave him the sub-cheese of the hospital visit. Before I could clarify that it was a mere hunch, he had walked into the CO’s office. Standing by the door, I could overhear: ‘I don’t think the 2IC is coming back in a hurry, Sir,’ the Adjutant began and added liberal embellishment to my report. The CO’s concluding remark, ‘High time Minoo settled down’, made me sweat.

The 2IC was back shortly and the CO asked him when to expect the good news. I don’t know how the 2IC reacted but I was marched up to him the next morning. The proceedings were brief. ‘Do you know spreading rumours is an offence?’ ‘Yes, Sir,’ I said. ‘Being your first time, I’m letting you off lightly. You will remain DOW for the next eight weeks. Dismissed.’

At lunch in the mess the 2IC was a different man. He ordered me a drink. ‘Thank you for visiting me despite the risk,’ he said. ‘My pleasure, Sir.’ ‘You got the poor nurse in trouble, though. She got a mouthful from me. You need to atone by taking her out for coffee.’ ‘I will, Sir.’ We clinked glasses.

Like a true military professional he punished the fault, not the person.