Pakarmy - Thank you Cowasjee and Ayaz Amir

[shahnaz]

Whoever worth of his salt for the last 4-5 years is writing about Kargil with emphasis to prove that Pakistan Army was totally failure there. During 1970s and till mid 1980s most of our writers wrote that 1971 defeat was not a military defeat but due to internal circumstances, international conspiracy a political defeat. Started 1990s and even the minions started telling the nation that 1971 war was a total defeat, our Army was incapable to defend. For the last about 6-7 years a new trend has started that now all these writers are trying to let the nation believe that the 1965 war too was a defeat and it was a kindness of India that it took mercy on Pakistan. None of these writers and politicians tell us why did they remained for so long silent. They never tell a very logical question that why then the foreign press which is so hostile towards Pakistan had never wrote from such angle which we the Pakistanis have started writing today intentionally or unintentionally. I have remained abroad for about 25 years. I observed we the Pakistanis are the only nation in the world who criticize our elders, our founder fathers, our traditions, our customs, our culture and even our religion just to prove that we are modern and liberal.

I am just an ordinary citizen not highly educated, hence my views expressed here may please be read keeping it in view as I can not use big English words. As far as Kargil failure is concerned I am not concerned if Nawaz Sharif was apprised about it or not. What however I remember is my memories of a CNN item still fresh in my mind when Nawaz Sharif as PM visited USA. On a question the US spokesman in the daily briefing confirmed “Yes President Clinton has told Nawaz Sharif first to pull back from those places of Kargil where his army had advanced and only then bilateral negotiation between US and Pakistan will start”. Why would US President ask Pakistan Army to go back unless Pakistan army defeating Indians had not advanced. Please once again keep in mind my limitation to express properly in a foreign language being an ordinary citizen. Then the second image still very fresh in my mind is of a newspaper of the country where I lived then. The news item quoted the Indian Defence Minister after Nawaz Sharif’s pull back, saying that Pakistani Army Units were still on the captured places and they (Indians) cannot pull them back and US should force Nawaz Sharif to implement his commitment.

On the recent incident of Brig ® Mohammad Taj, a 1965 war hero decorated with Sitara-e-Jurat, abducted by an ISI senior for the personal affair, Pakistan’s worst critics of Generals and Army-men generally, Ardeshir Cowasjee and Ayaz Amir (retired army Major himself) both have written articles on the incident. As some one said that truth surfaces out naturally Ardeshir Cowasjee in his column introduced Brig ® Mohammad Taj as a Major who was assigned a military duty in 1965 in Kokhranpar area. According to Cowasje Barave Taj was asked to capture some Indian post. He had only a few jeeps and very limited soldiers whereas according to Cowasje Indians had tacks. Major Taj crossed all road blocks, ambushed the enemy post, fought with bravery, defeating the tanks, defeated the Indians and captured the post. True history naturally comes out. Cowasje and Ayaz Amir thank you for in-voluntarily speaking truth.

PML(N) has as I learn through newspapers have allegedly published a white paper on Kargil. I have not read this white paper and I can imagine what would it contain. Without having access to it and without reading it I am more than confident the democracy loving PML(N) would never had included even a single word in this paper if Pakistan Army had not gone advanced on Indian posts then from which advance captured posts their leader promised with Clinton to come back. I am sure this white paper would also not have a single mention from the interview of Bill Clinton himself when on TV he said Yes, we asked Nawaz Sharif to pull back from the captured positions. Asking a question to Nawaz Sharif when Clinton spoke to him and and in return Nawaz promised to pull back was it not in his knowledge if Pakistan army was in Kargil.

Believe it I am not concerned with politics. I am not from any Nawaz anti group. The fact is I like Nawaz better than Benazir since it is my firm belief that 90% of our national ills today are rooted from 1972 and we are still and will keep continue reaping the soar fruits of that period. Nawaz Sharif is a little better from Benazir but it is also a fact both Nawaz Sharif and Benazir looted the country. Nawaz Sharif might not have put anything in his pocket but he did allow looting of the country. 5 years advance salaries to presidents of banks is a biggest loot. Nawaz Sharif though claims himself a democrat and democracy lover but fact is he has not even the remotest respect for democracy. The then Chairman PTCL was appointed on a very high salary which was never seek before in Pakistan. The parliamentary committee taking serious note of it recommended that after expiry of his contract the Chairman should not be given any extension. Nawaz Sharif, the democracy lover, ignoring the recommendation of “democracy” namely the parliament, gave extension. This was his respect for the democracy.

General Musharraf will fail his duty if does not direct the concerned authorities to seriously study the PML (N) ‘s so called white paper seriously and in case there is found any leakage of national information or anything publishing of which could damage in any way the strategy of our country, a serious legal action be taken. This so called white paper is only a cheap technique because elections are coming ahead.

[Pracs]

A though provoking post indeed. Just adding my two cents here.

In our beloved country, the land of the pure and the brave, we have what is know as 'special interest groups', there is the Armed forces, the bureaucracy, so called politicians, Landlords, business man the list goes on. Over the last half a decade or so, there is an active propoganda campagin against the Armed forces,.. we have a new bread of liberals in Pakistan who think that my maligning the army they can some how break their strong hold in the country,. they are ofcourse wrong. Whilst, I agree that the Armed forces should serve Pakistan in their professional capacity it would be a fallacy to believe that maligning the armed forces will not malign Pakistan. Surely, as Citizens of Pakistan it is our God given right to know the truth,. there are too many questions that have not been answered,.. who killed Liaqut Ali Khan, why was the 1956 constitution suspended by a nominated Governor General, what happened in 1971, who killed Zia and most important of all why did we retreat from Kargil. From what I remember in the press at that time and what I have read in the press,.. all fingers point to one person.. the elected PM of that time. I cannot go on to believe that Sharif was not aware of the Kargil war to start with,. General Musharaf (back then) was not as Powerful a Chief of Army staff to have done it alone. He would have required the PM's backing (especially when it wasa 2/3rd majority PM). Like having meddled into and neutralised the presidency, judiciary, bureaucracy he went on to the Army there were talks about reduction and all. The Writing was on the wall.

For the record, history is written by the victorious,.. and it is a fact we won the 1948 war,, since we got Gilgat, Skardu and Azad Kashmir (All of which was domain of Raja Hari Singh).. although we agreed to a ceasefire..(that is another story and a question never having been answered) 65 again was a win situation for us,.. since Pakistan was not the agressor, it was the Indians who crossed the International border (We had not accepted the line of ceasefire as International border),. and then we come to Kargil ! you are not asked to retreat if you are loosing,, its plain simple as that. India could have held on for longer but had to pay a very high price in terms of money and men.

I do agree that among Bhutto and Sharif, the latter is the lesser evil.