This modus operandi is therefore to be kept in mind when tackling the killers from across the border or the LoC. There is no doubt that terrorism by Pakistan proxy killer is aided, abetted and controlled by the Pakistani establishment. The home minister must remember that with the available number of army, paramilitary and police personnel, it is not possible to guard adequately all vulnerable areas (VAs) and vulnerable points (VPs). Therefore, there can be only a proactive solution to the problem. 

If allure VAs and VPs cannot be defended, the same applies to his VAs and VPs, west of the LoC in PoK. For this purpose, like the Pakistanis, we can also recruit mercenaries from across the world, arm them and train them to take out the terrorist leaders, training camps and headquarters. We have very friendly ties with Israel. Israeli expertise, specially the methods used by the Mossad, their elite secret service could be learnt and adopted. There is no reason why we should not create SWAT teams to target and liquidate the leaders of terrorist organisations. It is time that these warlods were made to feel insecure in their own lairs so that they realise that they cannot carry on their heinous activities with impunity. The government's response has been to promulgate the provisions of the Disturbed Area Act in the districts of Jammu also. This gives wide-ranging powers to the army and to the police. This is a defensive measure. It needs to be enforced very strictly. People found with unlicensed arms or explosives or timers or communication sets must be treated as spies and shown no quarter. They need to be charged with acts against the state and be dealt with summarily under the Army Act. There should be no question of housing them indefinitely in our jails and tempting their organisations to hijack our airliners to set them fee. 

Some members of the BJP and others have been propagating a more aggressive role for the Indian security forces. Some of these politicians have even suggested air strikes on the terrorist training camps and their logistic and training bases across the Line of Control or across the international border between the two countries. In view of the number of Indians being killed daily, positive steps have to be taken by Indian lest the people in our country and abroad perceive that the government is weak-kneed and India is a soft state. 

Indian attacks on terrorist bases in PoK and in Pakistan would be under the principle of "hot pursuit". This principle is accepted in International Law. The Israeli government uses it whenever they retaliate in Lebanon against Hamas terrorist attacks within Israel. We could even term our military action against the terrorists and those sponsoring them as punitive measures for harming our people. However, the political and military environment in the Israeli-Lebanon scenario is different from the one existing between India and Pakistan. Israel is militarily very strong, is backed by the USA and needs to take firm action for its very survival. As against this, Lebanon has no capability for any kind of military response against Islaeli air action. 

Compared to that situation, in our sub-continent, both India and Pakistan are major military as well as nuclear powers. Under these circumstances, it needs to be evaluated as to what action Indian forces can bring home on to Pakistani terrorists in PoK. It is essential that the Pakistani response to any Indian cross-border action against the terrorists be carefully thought out, planned for and built into whatever tactical action we take. A core group consisting of experienced officials from the MEA, Chiefs of Staff Committee and the MHA could work out the details of the strike plans as well as the contingency plans for the containment of Pakistani or International responses. The immediate action by India has to be a diplomatic offensive. We need to get detailed photographs of the Pakistani terrorist camps. The Indian high-flying reconnaissance plane, the MiG-25, can take these snaps. Otherwise, the pictures can be obtained chimerically from the French SPOT satellite or from a Russian surveillance satellite. 

These photographs should be given wide publicity in the world media. Also, the MEA would need to hand over copies to the embassies of all friendly countries in Delhi. Appropriate briefing will need to be provided to our missions abroad. Such action will put international political pressure on Pakistan. It would also set the stage for any military action that may have to be taken by India subsequently and which we should definitely not rule out at this point of time. The first option is to carry out a barrage of artillery attacks on any of the Pakistani terrorist bases or routes of ingress within Indian army artillery range. This action would be effective and unlikely to invite any large-scale response. Similarly, like the terrorist attacks on Indian security establishments in J&K attacks by Indian mercenaries or commandos on Pakistani terrorist camps with a focus on military hardware and key personnel could be very effective. These too may not be responded to strongly by Pakistan. 

However, if our commandos are not in Indian uniform they may be treated as spies and, if captured, will not be entitled to POW status. In any case, the history of Pakistan's holding of our POWs is dismal. Therefore, the two army actions are the more viable ones in terms of results possible along with the likelihood of limited Pakistani response. Air action could be kept on stand by, if and when needed. 

*The writer is a retired air vice-marshal

Previous Article

Next Article