Fidayeen attack on an Army base signals that Pakistan can't be trusted; it must be combated

The surgical strike by Indian special forces across the Line of Control has been one of the signature decisions by the Narendra Modi Government. By constantly highlighting it, the Government wants to demonstrate its resolve and motivation to attack the heart of Terroristan. However, the Pakistani retort to those attacks has been an extreme playing to their ‘strengths' — the use of state-trained and sponsored terrorists to launch a series suicide attacks on military bases, including family stations, exposing the soft underbelly of India’s military deployment in the State of Jammu and Kashmir allied to a constant barrage artillery shelling and mortar attacks across the Line of Control. Simultaneously, working with some fifth columnist traders, Pakistani intelligence agencies have been funnelling huge amounts of cash to anti-India forces in the Kashmir Valley as well as funding others malcontents across the country. The complete breakdown of talks between India and Pakistan, even the virtual collapse of ‘Track II’ negotiations, is a far cry from the Prime Minister inviting Nawaz Sharif to his inauguration and his surprise visit to Sharif’s house a year later. With the Pakistani military emboldened under China’s wing, the attacks on Indian forces have become more brazen, albeit better intelligence and fewer apologists for Pakistani action in the system have ensured a repeat on the scale of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai has not taken place.

However, lackadaisical security at security institutions and modernisation of our defence infrastructure must be addressed at the earliest. The attack on the Sunjwan military camp followed by the attempt to storm the CRPF complex in Srinagar, and the deliberate targeting of the families of soldiers is a deliberate psychological ploy by the Pakistani establishment to sap the Indian soldiers' 'will to fight — if soldiers can not keep their own families safe, how can they keep the country safe. It is contingent, therefore, on the intelligence services to keep a high-level of monitoring on such facilities using the latest technology. It is clear that embedded Pakistani spies are working overtime to try to acquire details of security protocols and systems at Indian military bases and using the honey trap on social media platforms is part of that effort. This is a troubling sign and while it is impossible to stop security forces personnel from using smartphones, a stricter policy of training them to be less susceptible to such information hacks is vital. The attack on Sunjwan and the earlier attack on Pathankot should not be seen in isolation; there are, unfortunately, almost certain to be more attacks, possibly even in the Indian hinterland. Security at all military bases must be strengthened forthwith and a high-level of preparedness must be maintained. Pakistani terror handlers and the Pakistani military have no qualms whatsoever about the wanton murder of women and children as has been established in the past. The only way to stop such attacks is to maintain a high level of vigilance against them. However, the birth of a baby girl through an emergency medical procedure performed on the wife of a soldier posted at Sunjwan, who herself was shot in the back by the terrorists and is also safe, is a symbol of the fact that the murderers will not win.

And if the world will not help us tackle the Pakistani menace, maybe it is time for India to take decisive action to ensure her children are not murdered at will by terrorists nurtured by Islamabad, particularly as the snow thaws in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir and the summer fast approaches.

Courtesy: Pioneer: Tuesday, 13 February 2018