Kargil: An Operational Update upto 18 July 1999
20 Jul, 1999 · 228
Maj. Gen. Ashok Krishna (Retd) points out that Pakistan is still to vacate five pockets which it established just 500 metres across the LoC in the area from Turtok to Mushkoh valley.
General
Pakistan
’s Director General of Military Operations [DGMO] met his Indian counter part at the Attari border on 11 July to work out the modalities of a pull out from the Indian side of the Line of Control [LoC]. It was agreed that all forces would be withdrawn by first light on 16 July [extended to 18 July] after which
India
would be free to resume ground and air operations against any remaining aggressors.
Pakistan
has amassed eight to ten thousand mercenaries and regulars for a summer offensive in
Jammu and Kashmir
[J & K]and
Afghanistan
.. The ISI has extra-territorial designs to rule
Afghanistan
by proxy, but also to wrest J & K and intervene in the
Central
Asian
Republics
and Chinese Islamic provinces.
Pakistan
has stated that all out efforts would be made to strengthen defences in the Northern areas and that this region would be brought on par with the developed parts of the country.
Pyongyang
’s covert aid to
Pakistan
’s missile programme.
Pakistan
’s Foreign Minister has been stating in interviews to the BBC and the domestic press that it was
India
that first altered the alignment of the LoC in four areas. The factual position is as under:
Pakistan
tried to occupy ground on the Indian side in the Tithwal sector and at
Chorbat La. [in May]. The Joint Boundary Commission ordered ground surveys to determine the alignment of the LoC in these areas.. Thereafter, Pak troops were withdrawn.
Saltoro
Range
overlooking the Siachen glacier would become the boundary. This range is held by
India
since 1984. .
Saltoro
Range
and was occupied in 1988 when
Pakistan
occupied a height overlooking the Indian base in Siachen.
Kishanganga
Valley
) in 1994. The position here is the same as in 1949 when the cease fire line came into being.
Pakistan
did make attempts to improve its positions here, but were thwarted.
Pakistan
has not been able to dislodge
India
from the dominating heights it holds in the valley.
India
has regained control of all the main ridges in Turtok, Chorbat La and the Batalik –Yaldor areas. In
Kaksar , India
established control over the Bajrang Post and Pt 5299. In the
Mushkoh
Valley
, the enemy is holding on to a few isolated positions.
Pakistan
is still to vacate five pockets which it established just 500 metres across the LoC in the area from Turtok to Mushkoh valley.This is obviously a face saving effort to grab some territory to show for its massive intrusion, and later withdrawal.
Srinagar
on 12 July and took 12 persons hostage after killing a Deputy Inspector General and Deputy Commandant. Next day Black Cat Commandos rescued the hostages and killed one militant .On 18 July, the militants made an abortive bid to blow up the district police lines at Badgam (near
Srinagar
) by firing a barrage of rockets.
Indian territory
in Poonch and Rajauri.
As a sequel to the Clinton- Sharif talks
 |
Intelligence
The Pak Army's intrusion in Kargil was the third phase of “Operation Topac” launched covertly by the late President Zia-ul-Haq in 1988. The first phase involved indoctrination of army personnel and militants, the second, sabotage by fifth columnists, and the third a major thrust by the Pak Army to consolidate.
Afghan opposition parties have alleged that
The detention of a North Korean ship at Kandla port by the customs has brought into focus
The Line Of Control[Loc]
(a)Chorbat La in 1972. The Shimla Agreement was signed in July 1972.
(b)Siachen in 1984. The 1949 cease fire line ended at NJ 9842; beyond lay a snowy wasteland.The Line thereafter was depicted to run North to the glaciers. In 1972, both sides agreed that the LoC would terminate at NJ 9842, as before.In 1984, Indian troops pre-empted a Pak plan to locate its troops East of the Siachen glacier This move would have enabled them to overlook crucial passes into Ladakh and lay claim to all territory upto the Karakhoram Pass by extending the line north eastwards from NJ 9842. On the other hand, if it were drawn northwards, then, according to the watershed principle, the
(c)Kumar Post in 1988.This post is well to the North of NJ 9842 . It is on the
(d)Neelam (or
Operations
A gradual withdrawal has taken place in the area of operations. The guns are generally silent. Indian troops are carefully approaching the LoC. Some of the features have been heavily mined and booby trapped.
Insurgency
Pakistani militants attacked a highly guarded BSF residential complex in
There have been five attempts by Pakistani troops and armed militants during the past three weeks to intrude into
Assessment
Pakistani intransigence in withdrawing from five small pockets could lead to renewed fighting. As anticipated, terrorism has increased. Suicide squads will try to strike at civilian and security forces’ targets to revive insurgency and terrorism.
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