By Syed Qamar Rizvi.
It goes without saying that if the leadership of a country makes a wrong statement/claim or an impression just to gain its ulterior motive, not only damages its international image or clout but also punctures the morale of its nation both domestically and internationally. This is what has been a true case about India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose government’s fabricated claim regarding a surgical strike (on Sept.29) against Pakistan has caused a cringe worthy development for both its people and its military personnel.
A surgical strike, according to a widely accepted definition, is “a military attack which results in, was intended to result in, or is claimed to have resulted in only damage to the intended legitimate military target, and no or minimal collateral damage to surrounding structures, vehicles, buildings, or the general public infrastructure and utilities”.
But the circumstantial evidence gives no support to such an Indian held claim that it had made a surgical strike against Pakistan ( on Sept.29). Although one can better understand why it was so politically expedient for the Indian government to show its actions: the fact is that by doing such an act the Modi government has largely lost its credibility in the eye of its public.
Following the refusal from UN to confirm the Indian claims of ‘surgical strikes’, Pakistan Army on Saturday took independent journalists to the Line of Control (LoC) at Baghsir 20 kilometers from Bhimber to show the situation on ground.
Despite the fact that publicising such operations is tricky and devious, it logically appears that in today’s world of hyper media technology such concoctions and fabricated stories do leave a very negative impact. And furthermore, the publicity of such act confuses who the target audience really is, and sets unwieldy expectations of the public, i.e. a desire for “revenge” risks becoming an end unto itself.
Now while analysing the Modi government’s motive behind such development, one may reasonably argue that if the message was meant for Islamabad—as it appears to have been—then it is futile to make it public without clear long-term strategic benefits. Pakistan has been not been deterred in the past, and is unlikely to change its approach based on such strikes, which its army is used to. This Indian ploy has intensified a feeling that people of India are no safer today than they were yesterday.
The fact of the matter is: the success of any military conflict cannot be guaranteed. It might weaken India further and make it more vulnerable, if military action is unsuccessful. After 26/11, then prime minister Manmohan Singh had considered air strikes against Pakistan. But the air force chief had said India didn’t have accurate digital data on terrorist camps in Pakistan, and the army chief had said the Indian Army was not prepared for a brief, surgical strike. Military experts say it would take years for India to develop strategic capabilities for targeted cross-border operations. Politically, military action that is seen as a failure would hurt the Modi government more than not doing anything.
Be it a surgical strike or hot pursuit, any military action against Pakistan is a bad idea. It appreciates to be impossible to achieve the desired results. On the contrary, it could backfire .Following are some diplomatic reactions demonstrated by the respective governments regarding the ongoing situation along with the line of control (LOC).
With tensions escalating between the two neighboring countries, Britain asked India and Pakistan to “exercise restraint in the wake of surgical strikes by Indian troops across the Line of Control’. A spokesperson from Britain’s Foreign Office said: “We are monitoring the situation closely following reports of strikes carried out by the Indian Army over the LoC in Kashmir. We call on both sides to exercise restraint and to open dialogue.”
China has said it is in ‘constant touch with both countries to reduce tensions’. Geng Shuang, a spokesperson of China’s Foreign Office, said: “China was in communication with both sides through different channels and hoped that Indian and Pakistan can enhance communication, properly deal with differences and work jointly to maintain peace and security.” China expressed hope that “Islamabad and New Delhi will resolve the issue through dialogue and maintain regional peace and stability by joint efforts”.
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a strong statement after the surgical strikes conducted by Indian troops. “We are concerned with the aggravation lately of the situation along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. We are calling on the parties not to allow any escalation of tension and to settle the existing problems by political and diplomatic means through negotiations…..”
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General, urged both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and resolve differences through dialogue. He added that officials were following the increase in tensions in Kashmir with great concern. “UN military observers were in contact with both sides to try to obtain further information,” he said.
Pragmatically, Modi must recognise that his agenda of enhancing regional cooperation in South Asia will remain unfulfilled without mending the fences with Pakistan. At a time when interconnectivity seems a glaring norm across the world, two neighbours-India and Pakistan cannot afford to be locked in a spiral of perpetual hostility and violence.
But Modi’s decision to engage with Pakistan was seen by some in Delhi’s as India’s “on again, off again” inconsistent approach towards Pakistan. And yet some sections within his own party were against overtures to Pakistan. And then the Pakistani military also decided to reassert its supremacy on India thereby reasserting itself.
Given the ongoing scenario of tensions along the line of control (LOC) between India and Pakistan, it seems a glowing imperative of diplomacy to use its course bilaterally and particularly the Indian leadership must adopt political acumen-cum- enlightenment to pacify the plight of the Kashmiri people thereby tabling a statesman- like solution of the Kashmir problem which could only viably possible while honouring the UNSC’s resolutions on Kashmir. Needless to say, both India and Pakistan must try to diplomatically engage each other so as to water down the boiling temperature in the South Asian region-an emerging alarm of peace and stability.
http://www.indiawrites.org/world-reacted-indias-surgical-strikes/
