M A I N   N E W S

Army leaves it to George
Pak occupation of 6 Kargil peaks
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 31 — The Army today chose to conveniently roll the ball into the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes’ court over the issue raised yesterday by a Rajya Sabha member and eminent lawyer, Mr R.K. Anand, that at least six heights in Kargil, including the strategic Point 5353, were still under Pakistani domination.

Speaking after launching the website for the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), the Chief of Army Staff, Gen V.P. Malik, when asked for his reaction to the claims of the MP, said that the issue had now entered the “political domain”. The queries had come from a worthy Member of Parliament, who was a political leader, so it would be proper for the government to give a reply, he added.

When asked further whether the Army had a reply to the questions raised by the MP, the Chief of Army Staff said, “We are going through his statement. We have the answer, but let the government react”.

General Malik’s reaction to the issue which has been rocking the Army for the past few weeks comes after the Army Headquarters’ (AHQ) attempt at briefing the newsmen over the past few days about the factual position. Not only did the Army’s Liaison Cell, which forms part of the Psy Ops wing of the force, send out releases to newspapers trying to point out that the height was never under Indian control, but the senior officers from the Directorate General of Military Operations (DGMO) carried out exclusive briefings for a select few senior journalists explaining the situation.

The Army had explained to select journalists that the feature in question (Point 5353) had never been in the hands of India since the LoC was formalised in the wake of the Simla summit. They further explained that the feature had only limited tactical value in the overall context of the current ground positions.

The Army officers said that it offered its Pakistani occupants only a limited field of fire to threaten the Srinagar-Leh road or the NH-1A. It was explained that the occupation of Point 5108 was of more importance as it was closer to the road.

That the Pakistani troops had found those features more useful than Point 5353 was evident from their having used them — from 1997 onwards — as the observation posts for the shelling of the highway. That is a situation the Indian forces had to live with, the officers had explained. It was further pointed out that the Indian troops were holding on to two other higher features along Point 5353, which effectively curtailed the activity of the Pakistani troops on the feature.

This attempt only fuelled the controversy further, as not only were the claims of the Army and the Defence Minister questioned by the media itself, but Mr Anand yesterday distributed maps and also released Army correspondence between the attacking Platoon Commander Capt Navneet Mehta and his Commanding Officer after the Indian attack on the feature in May last, which was repulsed by Pakistan. The correspondence explained as to why the attack had failed.

Mr Anand had also pointed out that in 1992-93 the then Corps Commander had also made a make-shift pocket on this point and had successfully cut off supply to Pakistani posts along the LoC. The Pakistani protests had been shrugged off with explanation that the point was on the Indian side of the LoC.

Now the shifting of the responsibility on the Defence Minister by the AHQ for explaining the situation after the claims of Mr Anand, on the pretext that the queries had been raised by a political leader and hence the government should reply, only highlights the fact the Army is not clear about what it wants to say. Further, the attempts to give painful explanations to journalists about the prevailing situation only points out that probably all is not well along the LoC.

Earlier, also, there had been a confusion over what the factual position was with the AHQ and the Defence Minister giving different statements. Totally varying claims by the AHQ and the Defence Minister only further compounded the confusion over this crucial peak.

Incidentally, here it would be pertinent to find out whether the Defence Minister has his own channel of getting information regarding the prevailing situation along the LoC. Is it not that the “daily reports” regarding the situation prevailing along the LoC is provided to him by the Army?

Meanwhile, Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis has commended the efforts of all personnel engaged in the daunting task for air logistic support in the Siachen and Kargil area during his visit to the forward areas in the Siachen sector this morning.

The annual task of air logistics support, after the Kargil conflict, was increased by 44 per cent for fixed wing aircraft and 89 per cent for helicopters. This was in addition to the already large air logistics task, which in terms of load would amount to approximately 6323 tonnes for the transport aircraft and 4445 tonnes for the helicopter fleet.

The IAF went to execute this task with no increase in manpower, aircraft and equipment despite inclement weather and environment conditions.

Addressing the personnel at the forward base camp during his visit there, the Air Chief pointed out that the Indian Air Force was perhaps the only Air Force in the world today engaged in such protracted air logistics operation. These operations in support of our ground forces had contributed immensely in enhancing jointmanship and bonhomie with the Army in meeting their operational requirements in the ‘worlds highest battlefield’.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday rejected reports from India that its troops were occupying some border peaks in the Kargil region on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC).

“Pakistan is on its side of the Line of Control (LoC),” Foreign Office spokesman Riaz Mohammad Khan said.

Pak to raise Kashmir issue

ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (Reuters) — Pakistan said today that its military ruler, Gen Pervez Musharraf, would highlight the country’s dispute with India over Kashmir at the UN General Assembly’s millennium session next month.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman told reporters that General Musharraf, would raise the Kashmir issue at the gathering of world leaders in New York on September 6. He ruled out the possibility of any meeting between Gen Musharraf and Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has urged India to de-escalate tension along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir where exchanges of firing recently left many dead or wounded.

Asked about the refusal of India to receive the mutilated body of an Indian soldier, the spokesman said: “Absolutely no question of any mutilation arises. These are tendentious allegations. We reject it.”

JKLF seeks inclusion in talks

ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) today warned that if attempts were made to keep the JKLF away from any future tripartite dialogue on Kashmir it would take steps conducive to the failure of these talks.

In the case of there being any tripartite talks on Kashmir “only the JKLF has the right to represent Kashmiris” in those talks otherwise it would take steps conducive to the failure of these talks, JKLF Chairman Amanullah Khan said here.

In the tripartite talks pro-Indian and pro-Pakistani Kashmiris would be represented by New Delhi and Islamabad, respectively, while pro-independence Kashmiris should be represented by the JKLF, he said.

Annan: initiative in J&K encouraging

NEW YORK, Aug 31 (UNI) — United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today expressed the hope that India and Pakistan would be able to settle their disputes through a dialogue.

Speaking to Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi in the UNO headquarters here, Mr Annan said people should not be killed for making a point. He was aware of the factors leading to terrorism and violence in Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to India’s initiative for talks with a group of Kashmiri militants, Mr Annan said it was an encouraging development.

He expressed concern on the way the Lahore initiative was violated due to some disturbing developments in the region.” Bilateral discussions were the best way to resolve the issues between India and Pakistan, he added.

Mr Annan said the impressive democratic traditions in India was important not only for the country but also for other developing countries. He appreciated the dynamic restructuring of the Indian economy and the achievements made by it in the sphere of information technology.

Mr Annan also praised India for helping other developing countries in technology. In the era of globalisation, no one should think about local interests, he added.