M A I N   N E W S

Limited strikes not ruled out
Training camps in Pak likely to be targeted
Girja Shankar Kaura
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 1
Even as the Vajpayee government has launched a diplomatic offensive so that Pakistan moves against terrorist organisations operating from its soil, the possibility of incisive limited strikes through deep intrusions are reportedly being explored as a means of liquidating terrorist camps across the border.

With Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee stressing that India did not want a war with Pakistan, sources in the government said that New Delhi could adopt a strategy of targeting the very heart of terrorist training camps through effective, but limited, strikes.

In the event of Pakistan failing to recognise and accept the evidence being provided by India about various terrorist organisations operating from across the border and of their direct involvement in violence in this country, forces led by the highly trained and capable commandos could carry out such strikes. The idea would be for the strike forces to not only engage and liquidate the members of the terrorist organisations, but also dissipate the camps.

Like the Americans, the sources said, India also holds the right to liquidate all those involved in spreading terrorism in its territory. For more than a decade, India has been fighting a “proxy war” in Jammu and Kashmir. Now after the attack on Parliament House on December 13, New Delhi holds the right to strike back in the manner it deems fit if Pakistan does not act decisively against those involved in cross border terrorism.

Reports here said that the Indian forces could adopt the strategy of making deep intrusions around the places where the terrorist camps are situated and continued to operate, involving the terrorists in skirmishes and returning after liquidating them.

Just yesterday, Union Defence Minister George Fernandes also said that if diplomatic efforts to get Pakistan to act against the terrorists failed then India could take decisions which could be “very demanding” on Islamabad.

India handed over a list of 20 terrorists and criminals seeking shelter in Pakistan and were on the wanted list here.

The eventuality of such strikes has apparently been discussed by the political leadership. The Army is all geared up to take action if called upon to do so. Strike forces have also been directed to be prepared for such an eventuality.

Some steps already taken encompass the movement of artillery and tanks close to the border. Simultaneously, all officers who have commanded the strike corps in their last posting have been recalled to the units.

Sources disclosed that this has been done keeping in mind the eventuality of such strikes. Among the other measures taken are increasing the fuel back-up for the armed forces from the customary 14 days to 28 days.