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Advani slams Pakistan's proxy war

Amberish K Diwanji in New Delhi

Terming the terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir an 'undeclared proxy war' perpetuated by Pakistan, the government last night announced strong measures to combat it, including beefing up security in the state.

Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani said that after the conflict in Kargil, which India won, and more so after the military coup in Pakistan, terrorist activities have intensified in Kashmir.

Addressing reporters after a high-level meeting on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir chaired by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Advani said the meeting thought it was ironical that India has to face the menace of terrorism because of its victory in the 1971 war.

"The humiliating defeat of our neighbour led to the menace of terrorism, which is being inflicted on India in a systemic manner... The setback suffered by Pakistan in the Kargil war has resulted in the intensification of terrorism and proxy war. If I could sum up today's meeting, the upshot was the resolve that just as we won the Kargil war, we will win the proxy war also," he said.

Others who attended the meeting were Defence Minister George Fernandes, Kashmir Governor G C Saxena, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, army chief General V P Malik, the foreign secretary, J&K's Director General of Police Gurbachan Jagat, army corps commanders posted in the state, and other senior officials from the Union home ministry and state government.

A statement issued after the meeting said, "Broad parameters were formulated to effectively counter the nefarious designs of the terrorist groups being aided and abetted from across the border for escalating the level of proxy war in the state."

Adopting a tough posture, the government said, "It was decided, inter alia, as part of an offensive strategy to effectively counter terrorism in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, that it is imperative to raise more specialised battalions of the central para-military forces, specially trained for waging counter-terrorist operations and also to enhance deployment along the LoC/IB (Line of Control/International Border) and depth areas."

To synergize operations among varous forces and intelligence agencies, "which is no doubt critical to optimize gains, it was decided to divide the CI (counter-insurgency) grid into 49 sectors as part of a three-tier command and control structure under the UHQ (unified headquarters)".

The government has also decided to set up an additional UHQ for the areas north of Zojila. At present, there is only one UHQ at Srinagar, where the 15 Corps commander is the co-ordinator on operational matters.

"While the state police and intelligence apparatus is already being strengthened, security forces have been asked to adopt a pro-active approach against the terrorists in the hinterland and establish area domination both during day and night," the government said.

To avoid further high-profile attacks in the heart of Srinagar city, the meeting said security in the state capital "has been beefed up and the security forces have been asked to carry out around-the-clock operations based upon pin-pointed intelligence to neutralise terrorist modules in the city".

Special operations is also being launched with the help of retired soldiers and members of the VDCs (village defence committees) "in order to effectively curb infiltration an exfiltration along the LoC/IB", the government said.

"For protection of the civilian population, it has been decided to integrate the VDCs to CI grid and to provide them with sophisticated arms and modern communication equipment," the statement said.

Taking note of the poor economic situation of the state government, the meeting said, "Successful anti-terrorist operations will have to go hand-in-hand with economic development so as to relieve the suffering of the masses."

The government said it has decided to evolve special programmes to "supplement the border area development programme and the basic minimum services programme". Special funds will also be provided for border roads.

To effectively deal with unemployment among youth in the state, new job-generating projects will be put in operation, the meeting decided. The state government on its part "will ensure that the fruits of the accelerated development reach the common man and towards that end work out time-bound schemes for speedy implementation".

Advani said that in the past few days there has been increased interaction between the defence ministry, army headquarters and home ministry's working on details of counter-intelligence and counter-militancy efforts to make them more effective. "We are also working on how the unified command, which exists at the state level, will now work at the sector levels," he said.

A senior government official added that in each sector, the seniormost officer among the state police, paramilitary and army would take charge of the unified command.

Harping on the proxy war theme, Advani said, "This is not a declared war. Pakistan has unleashed an undeclared war on us. In such a situation it is not merely those in office or the armed forces or paramilitary forces who have to fight, but I would like to appeal to the fourth estate to contribute in your own way to the resolve of the nation to win the war."

When asked if he saw any particular burst in militant activity in the wake of the hijacking crisis, he said, "I don't see a particular burst of militant activity now. It is after Kargil that their efforts were heightened."

He said that by deploying suicide squads for attacks on defence installations, the terrorists had managed to "create an impression that they are having the upper hand". But by themselves the sucide squads do not mean much, "because all of them have been elimiated". Pointing out that suicide squads have even killed former prime ministers, he said, "Just a few kills does not mean they are winning."

He said the meeting did not discuss the hijacking.

Pointing out that after General Pervez Musharraf took over in Pakistan, there has been a perceptiable change in the level of terrorism, he warned, "We will respond effectively, and counter-insurgency operations will be intensified and planned well, and prepared for all possibilities."

When asked if there is a political solution to the problem, he said political problems are natural in every democracy. "In other parts also we have problems. Many states want greater devolution, but the situation in Jammu and Kashmir owes its origins essentially to the proxy war." He said the government also discussed developmental problems, and approaches have been worked out. "But we are convinced that principally the problems have been caused by our neighbour."

When asked about the diplomatic overtures by the Musharraf regime, he said, "We do not see any diplomatic initiatives. What we see is a desperate bid to avoid the growing feeling in the international community of Pakistan's role and its growing isolation."

He pointed out that earlier attempts to thwart terrorism in Kashmir had succeeded in 1997-98 and 1999 also. Tourists had returned to Kashmir, "but the setback in Kargil has brought about this phase". And the situation "is being met with a new strategy".

When Defence Minister Fernandes, who was accompanying Advani, was asked if the government would try to contact any of the separatist Hurriyat Conference leaders for talks, he avoided giving a direct reply, only saying that no Hurriyat leaders had contacted the government for talks.

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