Border disorder imperils civilians
8 Oct 2014 9:31 PM GMT
Pakistan Rangers’ intent to go on the offensive seems clearly visible and engagement of Indian forces in heavy mortar shelling also makes it easier for the ISI controlled Pakistani Army to facilitate the movement of as many infiltrators as it can before the winters set in. India has refused a flag meeting and is not seeing Pakistan eye-to-eye. While defence analysts may laud the move, incidents of collateral damages in the form of innocent civilians losing their lives are escalating by the day.
Pakistan’s repeated infringement of diplomatic dialogue with India on the Kashmir issue can be held tantamount to its policy of creating disturbances across the Indian border on not one but innumerable instances. However, India needs to also realise that losing civilians, the manner they are being killed is not something which needs to be taken lightly. Villagers living in close proximity to the international border and Line of Control have to bear the brunt because of the untimely evacuation policy practiced by the Indian government.
It is for the Ministry of Home Affairs to understand that with an uptight border and an hostile neighbour who keeps violating ceasefires at the snap of a finger, it should ideally clear the villages to a 10 kilometre radius and provide livelihood and place to stay for the evacuated civilians in areas not dominated by belligerent firing and cross border terrorism. It should instead double the strength of military personnel and place missile launchers, capable of lending body blows to the attackers in large numbers.
This move may although suggest that India’s stand has been weakened but looking at it in the larger context should make us realise three things: One, India is concerned for its civilians, two, the placement of heavy ammunition would also work as a source of fear for the Pakistani Rangers and three, India’s current stance of retaliation will also get a huge boost.
Pakistan’s repeated infringement of diplomatic dialogue with India on the Kashmir issue can be held tantamount to its policy of creating disturbances across the Indian border on not one but innumerable instances. However, India needs to also realise that losing civilians, the manner they are being killed is not something which needs to be taken lightly. Villagers living in close proximity to the international border and Line of Control have to bear the brunt because of the untimely evacuation policy practiced by the Indian government.
It is for the Ministry of Home Affairs to understand that with an uptight border and an hostile neighbour who keeps violating ceasefires at the snap of a finger, it should ideally clear the villages to a 10 kilometre radius and provide livelihood and place to stay for the evacuated civilians in areas not dominated by belligerent firing and cross border terrorism. It should instead double the strength of military personnel and place missile launchers, capable of lending body blows to the attackers in large numbers.
This move may although suggest that India’s stand has been weakened but looking at it in the larger context should make us realise three things: One, India is concerned for its civilians, two, the placement of heavy ammunition would also work as a source of fear for the Pakistani Rangers and three, India’s current stance of retaliation will also get a huge boost.
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