Introduction
Though there is no sign of the creation of
an Unconventional War command or Directorate in the Integrated Defense Staff, a
more comprehensive Counter Terror strategy, seems to be emerging.[i]
This emerging Counter Terror (#CT)
strategy attempts to increase the costs & reduce the benefits, of
unconventional war to the Pakistan Military. The CT strategy has the following
elements:
Cross-Border War
Identification of the Pakistan Army in
Pakistan occupied J&K as a terrorist army, engaged in unconventional war
against India and therefore a target of unconventional Defence against the
terrorists it trains, manages and pushes across the LOC. The Pakistan army's
targeting of army bases in J&K, using their Jehadi terrorist subalterns,
has finally broken the back of the Indian Pacifist camel. No distinction need
now be made between the Jehadi army in occupied J&K and its Jehadi
subalterns operating in J&K. The Indian army will no longer wait till they
push Jehadis across the line of control under covering fire, but will act
proactively to disable the terrorists and their army facilitators & bosses
as soon as they can be identified.
Media
The northern army command will become the single point
conduit for day to day communication with the media, on anti-Terror and cross
border actions. This will cut out leaks and debilitating speculation. The
change was first instituted with the DGMO announcing surgical strikes & followed
recently by army spokesman announcing destruction of terrorist-army bunkers.
Whether this will result in a formation of a professionally staffed and well
equipped media, communication and public relations cell, remains to be seen.
Domestic
A clear policy on terrorism/Jehad
within J&K. The Jehadis and their facilitators and sympathizers must choose
whether they are with the terrorist or against the terrorists. If the former
don't expect to be treated as peaceful law abiding citizen, but as a terrorist
sympathizer. If you are not with the Jehadis, not only can you exercise your
full rights as a citizen of India but you can expect us to facilitate economic
opportunity for you & your family everywhere in the country. All elements
of this approach are not yet fully developed/elaborated. The fact that it's
difficult to distinguish, is no excuse for not trying to identify those who
have run with the hares and hunted with the hounds and to categorize the fence
sitters who deliberately provoke the security forces. An unconventional war
cannot be won without getting the majority of population to rise against
terrorist violence and join the diplomatic process of grievance redressal.
Financing
Terrorist financing channels will
be identified, pro-actively investigated and pursued with a view to choking off
flows from Pakistan and other Salafi-Takfiri-Wahhabi sources. This includes
much more rigorous scrutiny of FCNR funding for so called charities &
religious institutions, beside the hawala channels traditionally use by corrupt
politicians and therefore often shielded from scrutiny in the past. NIA raids
on Hawala channels and J&K separatists are an indicator.
Diplomacy
An important element of the
anti-terror strategy is sharpened diplomacy to expose Pakistan's double game of
simultaneously financing, training, managing & directing terrorists and
appearing to help the US in tracking terrorists who threaten the USA. More
importantly, this exposure is to be supplemented/complimented by responding to
Pakistan's allegations wrt Kashmir Valley, by exposing Pakistan military's war
against civilians in Pakistan occupied J&K, Baluchistan and Sindh
(including its capital Karachi). However a foreign media strategy must be
developed and implemented as part of overall diplomatic strategy.
Jehadi Leadership in AfPak
It remains unclear how the Pakistan and Afghan based Jehadi leaders of
the Pakistan army's pet terrorist organizations are to be undermined or
incapacitated? But perhaps it is best to let some of this remain a little
vague.
