India as usual maintained its tradition to further frustrate neighbor’s
situation in order to use it in its own ‘favour’, ironically truly
deserves to be declared as most ‘favoured’nation! At a time when
Pakistan is going through various domestic developments, incidents of
terrorism and the political atmosphere has disturbed country awfully,
India got the chance to fuel the fire. Besides
this internal instability, the most significant development was New
Military Doctrine in Green Book that considered ‘Internal Security’ as
biggest threat. However India has yet again abolished all doubts about
the ‘Biggest Threat to Pakistan’. Right after the essential
transformation in military doctrine for prioritizing ‘homegrown
militancy’ as the biggest threat in comparison to traditional enemy
‘India’, attack by Indian army on Pakistani post killed one soldier and
another injured. Even after this incident the ceasefire violation from
Indian side was put on a pedestal.
The “Green Book” which Pakistan Army publishes every year, evaluates its war preparedness and capabilities to keep them exact and accurate. The Green book comprises of strategic papers written by professional soldiers who present their thoughts on diverse themes. This year a special chapter titled ‘Sub-Conventional Warfare’ has been included. The ongoing guerrilla war in the tribal area near borders with Afghanistan and armed attacks from different groups and elements on security installations and in cities were mentioned as biggest security threat in the new military doctrine. Without naming characters in the war, the book talked about few groups and elements and also mentioned cross-border attacks from Afghanistan. Various news and reports that emerged in the Pakistani and foreign media tried to portray that the Pakistan Army no more perceives India as its primary threat. The Dawn reported: ‘The Pakistan army has changed its operational priorities for the first time in eleven years and described internal threats as the greatest risk to the country’s security’ And the India Today rejoiced ‘The Pakistan Army now believes that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and a host of assorted militants within, are a bigger security threat than India.’
Nonetheless, in fact declaring that the real threat is inside the country, by no means abolishes the externals. This point was also highlighted in a recent speech of the Army Chief, General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani that was given to Pakistan Navy officers on December 29, 2012. “Today, we are pitched against an amorphous enemy when the conventional threat has also grown manifold. He added “The increasingly complex external environment and our rather precarious internal dynamics have created a myriad of security challenges”. Therefore, the standpoint of this doctrine should be taken as a pronouncement of the Pakistan Army that it does not stick to the conventional thought of warfare alone in era of fourth and the fifth generation warfare; an era when most hostilities are being dealt with newly evolving methods. Besides, this doctrine should not be taken as novel to an Army that has been at war with all kinds of internal threats for over 11 years, the Pakistan armed forces have shown the capability to crush this militant threat as they have so courageously fought in Swat, South Waziristan Agency, Malakand, Dir, Khyber Orakzai, Kurram Agencies and elsewhere in Pakistan.
Moreover internal and external threats cannot be taken separately. Several top security officials stated repeatedly that Islamabad has solid evidences of involvement of foreign elements, particularly from neighboring countries for assisting the separatist elements in Balochistan, for conducting blasts and massacres in other parts of country like Karachi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.Pakistani state remained a battle-ground of proxy wars due to the involvement of several foreign agents. Special focus on Afghan border is needed due to dual policy of US which had allowed India a stronghold in Afghanistan by engaging them in training of Afghan army and initiating joint strategic projects which are detrimental to the interests and security concerns of Pakistan. Moreover, Islamabad occasionally raised concerns about 24 Indian consulates along 2200 kilometer Pakistan-Afghan border, asserting their involvement for assisting anti-Pakistan elements to conduct terrorist activities in Pakistan.
On other way, the Indian threat cannot be ignored for their strong non-conventional capability as approximately eighty percent of Indian nuclear capable armed forces are deployed against Pakistan. Since now there has been no apparent paradigm shift in India’s strategic direction away from Pakistan. There has been no alleviation of threat from Indian side so there seems no reason for Pakistan to do so voluntarily. Thus far, Pakistan Army’s strategic orientation rightly focused on the more existential threat ‘India’ and cannot be ignored anyway. The Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani did well by declaring that the armed forces will cater for the full threat spectrum – India as well as the militancy. A balanced approach in our strategic orientation is the order of the day. The militants may be the more immediate and bothersome threat, but India is certainly the more potent and genuinely existentialist one. The recent Indian violation on Line of Control has further proved that the sun rises from the east and so does our primary threat.
There are clear indications that Indians are intentionally escalating tension on the LoC by conducting ceasefire violations, killing of Pakistani soldiers, injuring civilians and damaging property. This reflects the particular Indian mindset of aggressive designs against Pakistan. All these are efforts to disrupt peace process between Pakistan and India. These are to disturb the public diplomacy, to delay bilateral visits, to distress trade and to achieve vested interests. India represents itself as a peaceful state in front of world by singing mantra of ‘Aman ki Asha’but in fact doing enough for composing ‘Aman ka Tamasha’. Pakistan must hoist the concern at the UN Security Council and also sensitize members of the international community about real designs of India. Pakistan has already offered probe of the firing incidents by the UN, which shows authenticity and truthfulness of its position. However, Indians have rejected this offer, which evidently tells that they are dual at their stance and are not in favor of any impartial inquiry. It is high time that the international community should takenotice of these tremendously provoking statements coming from the Air Chief and the Defense Minister of India contrary to New Delhi’s assertions that it was enthusiastic in efforts for improvement in relations with Islamabad. These aggressive moves from India should also be an eye opener and thought provoking for those who are over wholehearted and raise voices for unconditional peace process. There should not be free for all dialogue process that only takes into account Indian interests and results into compromise on Pakistan position. However, by keeping in mind the nuclear parity, both states on equal basis should step forward to ensure peace on border and constancy in bilateral relations. Avoiding conflict and ensuring peace between the two can ensure peace in South Asian region.
The “Green Book” which Pakistan Army publishes every year, evaluates its war preparedness and capabilities to keep them exact and accurate. The Green book comprises of strategic papers written by professional soldiers who present their thoughts on diverse themes. This year a special chapter titled ‘Sub-Conventional Warfare’ has been included. The ongoing guerrilla war in the tribal area near borders with Afghanistan and armed attacks from different groups and elements on security installations and in cities were mentioned as biggest security threat in the new military doctrine. Without naming characters in the war, the book talked about few groups and elements and also mentioned cross-border attacks from Afghanistan. Various news and reports that emerged in the Pakistani and foreign media tried to portray that the Pakistan Army no more perceives India as its primary threat. The Dawn reported: ‘The Pakistan army has changed its operational priorities for the first time in eleven years and described internal threats as the greatest risk to the country’s security’ And the India Today rejoiced ‘The Pakistan Army now believes that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and a host of assorted militants within, are a bigger security threat than India.’
Nonetheless, in fact declaring that the real threat is inside the country, by no means abolishes the externals. This point was also highlighted in a recent speech of the Army Chief, General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani that was given to Pakistan Navy officers on December 29, 2012. “Today, we are pitched against an amorphous enemy when the conventional threat has also grown manifold. He added “The increasingly complex external environment and our rather precarious internal dynamics have created a myriad of security challenges”. Therefore, the standpoint of this doctrine should be taken as a pronouncement of the Pakistan Army that it does not stick to the conventional thought of warfare alone in era of fourth and the fifth generation warfare; an era when most hostilities are being dealt with newly evolving methods. Besides, this doctrine should not be taken as novel to an Army that has been at war with all kinds of internal threats for over 11 years, the Pakistan armed forces have shown the capability to crush this militant threat as they have so courageously fought in Swat, South Waziristan Agency, Malakand, Dir, Khyber Orakzai, Kurram Agencies and elsewhere in Pakistan.
Moreover internal and external threats cannot be taken separately. Several top security officials stated repeatedly that Islamabad has solid evidences of involvement of foreign elements, particularly from neighboring countries for assisting the separatist elements in Balochistan, for conducting blasts and massacres in other parts of country like Karachi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.Pakistani state remained a battle-ground of proxy wars due to the involvement of several foreign agents. Special focus on Afghan border is needed due to dual policy of US which had allowed India a stronghold in Afghanistan by engaging them in training of Afghan army and initiating joint strategic projects which are detrimental to the interests and security concerns of Pakistan. Moreover, Islamabad occasionally raised concerns about 24 Indian consulates along 2200 kilometer Pakistan-Afghan border, asserting their involvement for assisting anti-Pakistan elements to conduct terrorist activities in Pakistan.
On other way, the Indian threat cannot be ignored for their strong non-conventional capability as approximately eighty percent of Indian nuclear capable armed forces are deployed against Pakistan. Since now there has been no apparent paradigm shift in India’s strategic direction away from Pakistan. There has been no alleviation of threat from Indian side so there seems no reason for Pakistan to do so voluntarily. Thus far, Pakistan Army’s strategic orientation rightly focused on the more existential threat ‘India’ and cannot be ignored anyway. The Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani did well by declaring that the armed forces will cater for the full threat spectrum – India as well as the militancy. A balanced approach in our strategic orientation is the order of the day. The militants may be the more immediate and bothersome threat, but India is certainly the more potent and genuinely existentialist one. The recent Indian violation on Line of Control has further proved that the sun rises from the east and so does our primary threat.
There are clear indications that Indians are intentionally escalating tension on the LoC by conducting ceasefire violations, killing of Pakistani soldiers, injuring civilians and damaging property. This reflects the particular Indian mindset of aggressive designs against Pakistan. All these are efforts to disrupt peace process between Pakistan and India. These are to disturb the public diplomacy, to delay bilateral visits, to distress trade and to achieve vested interests. India represents itself as a peaceful state in front of world by singing mantra of ‘Aman ki Asha’but in fact doing enough for composing ‘Aman ka Tamasha’. Pakistan must hoist the concern at the UN Security Council and also sensitize members of the international community about real designs of India. Pakistan has already offered probe of the firing incidents by the UN, which shows authenticity and truthfulness of its position. However, Indians have rejected this offer, which evidently tells that they are dual at their stance and are not in favor of any impartial inquiry. It is high time that the international community should takenotice of these tremendously provoking statements coming from the Air Chief and the Defense Minister of India contrary to New Delhi’s assertions that it was enthusiastic in efforts for improvement in relations with Islamabad. These aggressive moves from India should also be an eye opener and thought provoking for those who are over wholehearted and raise voices for unconditional peace process. There should not be free for all dialogue process that only takes into account Indian interests and results into compromise on Pakistan position. However, by keeping in mind the nuclear parity, both states on equal basis should step forward to ensure peace on border and constancy in bilateral relations. Avoiding conflict and ensuring peace between the two can ensure peace in South Asian region.
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