Musings by M.V.Kamath

Pakistan hand in hijacking too obvious

By M.V. Kamath

No matter how loudly the Pakistan Establishment may deny it, there can be no doubt that behind the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane lies the hand of the ISI. The fact that the five hijackers arrived in Kathmandu by a Pakistani International Airlines (PIA) plane minutes before the Indian Airlines (IC-814) was to take off, simply walked through the arrival lounge to the departure lobby before emplaning unchecked cannot be attributed to coincidence.

Musharraf is a coward
The story is that the PIA plane was delayed because of fog. Some story that, had the plane landed on time a few hours earlier, events may have turned out to be different. The schedule must have been worked out with precision, leaving nothing to chance. No doubt as inquiries proceed we will get closer to the truth. But as of now the blood of Rupen Katyal is on the hands of Gen. Musharraf plainly, he is a coward. If Pakistan think that by creating all the drama it will win international favour for its case on Kashmir, it surely is labouring under grave delusions. Hijacking for whatever reason is plain terrorism. And killing a passenger in cold blood is an unforgivable crime. The United States, one hopes, has taken note of the incident. It is time Pakistan is condemned as a terrorist state.

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The fact that of the 16,850
people killed in Kashmir, a majority,
6,219 were Muslims shows that
the 'militants' could not have
been Kashmiri Muslims. What
is going on the Kashmir is
not a civil war. It is an invasion
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Ever since the beginning of the 1990s Pakistan has been indulging in murder and mayhem in Jammu & Kashmir, all the while disowning any responsibility for the killing. In the last ten years the state has witnessed the killing of 16,850 innocent people, including women and children. Criminal acts, extortions and looting by so-called 'militants' between 1990 and 1997 have been valued at over Rs10.61-crore but many believe that it is an under estimation.

Kashmiri Pandit families have been driven cut of their homes which have since then been occupied by terrorists. Even if they want to return to their ancestral homes, they cannot. The jobs that they once had have long been taken over by Kashmiri Muslims and the net result is that the last vestiges of Hinduism in Kashmir are being steadily wiped out.

U.S. turns nelson's eye
What was once a Hindu state prior to the advent of Islam is now on its way to becoming totally an Islamic state. That, too, should be part of Pakistan's long-term planning. The United States has for long been turning a blind eye to these going on in the hope of keeping Pakistan under its protective wings, but how long should India keep quite in the face of this indifference? The so-called 'militants' forced 49,000 odd Hindu and Sikh families to leave the Kashmir Valley and few in government seem to care about them. Between 1990 and 1994 terrorists again destroyed 93 temples and two gurudwaras -- and these are figures supplied to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) by the state government itself. The figure could be considerably higher.

Apart from these bestial acts the 'militants' are guilty of kidnapping 2,491 people including 20 foreigners and 135 women. Of these 1,036 had been brutally killed. In fact brutality is the name of the game.

World opinion has not yet been stirred because the western powers prefer to look the other way when Pakistan, their god-son, indulges in mayhem. It comes as a shock to know that among other thing the 'militants' have destroyed 1,264 government buildings, 758 educational institutions, 9,309 houses, 1,659 shops, 243 bridges and nine hospitals.

Why don't we call a spade a spade
This is not just militancy; it is open war. Not even Hitler could destroy so many structures in his bombing of London. It is impossible that Kashmiris by themselves would have been guilty of such acts. The 'militants' are not Kashmiris. They are plain and simply Pakistani infiltrators. There is no reason why we should hesitate to speak out the truth.

The hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane is part of the larger Pakistani strategy and it must be identified as such. Pakistani officials will continue to deny having any part in the hijacking but their behaviour is all of a piece with their denying their part in the Kargil Affair. Till the very last - in the face of mounting evidence, Pakistan continued to deny its role.
The fact that of the 16,850 people killed in Kashmir, a majority, 6,219 were Muslims shows that the 'militants' could not have been Kashmiri Muslims. What is going on the Kashmir is not a civil war. It is an invasion. And it should be treated as such. If firm action against Pakistan is not taken now, it will become increasingly difficult in days to come. India must strike when the iron is hot.

Pakistan evidently functions under the belief that India dare not taken action against it in the belief that Hindus are cowards and will not retaliate. It was that belief that led Gen. Musharraf to undertake the Kargil adventure. Pakistan's designs were foiled by the brave Indian Army. The hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane is a further follow - up to test Delhi's nerves, challenge has to be picked up. India's patience with its neighbour has been remarkable and consistent with its stand that it will not provoke a war not allow itself to be provoked.

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The best answer to Osama
bin Laden is given by giving
Pakistan an open and resounding
slap on its face - now.
Osama bin Laden functions with
the tacit support of Pakistan.
The best way to strike at bin
Laden is by striking at Pakistan.
And surely, the United States
knows how to do it? If it could
dare to hit Iraq, its one-time friend,
surely it can dare to hit at Pakistan
now? And not necessarily
militarily? Does Washington need
to be told the techniques of
arm-twisting at which it is an adept
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But how long is it going to continue this stance? Gen. Musharraf says that he will continue to give moral and other assistance to the 'militants'. We now know what that assistance means. Pakistan understands only one language; violence. It will continue to speak that language until it is convinced of its futility. It is for India to teach our neighbour that lesson.

The United States officials have been heard to say that India is a "great friend" of America. The sure way to show this friendship is for the U.S to unequivocally condemn Pakistan as a terrorist state and apply more sanctions against it. Pakistan has been mollycoddled long enough. The time is long past for the entire world - and not just the Western powers - to put Pakistan in its place. How many more Kargils, how many more hijacking need to be enacted for western powers to wake up to reality?

The rise of Islamic extremism around the globe has been phenomenal in recent years no doubt spurred by the belief that no concerted action will be taken by the victims. The best answer to Osama bin Laden is given by giving Pakistan an open and resounding slap on its face - now. Osama bin Laden functions with the tacit support of Pakistan. The best way to strike at Bin Laden is by striking at Pakistan. And surely, the United States knows how to do it? If it could dare to hit Iraq, its one-time friend, surely it can dare to hit at Pakistan now? And not necessarily militarily? Does Washington need to be told the techniques of arm-twisting at which it is an adept?

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