‘Three Spine’ Method of Dealing with Pakistan

‘Three Spine’ Method of Dealing with Pakistan

By Lt Col CR Sundar
President Tamil Nadu Sainik Samaj Party

It is a fact that Pakistan has always been a nuisance to bordering countries. We have had long experience with this unruly behavior of Pakistan and have been dealing with them in the past. However, in recent weeks, coinciding with the onset of summer in the sub-continent as well as the rise to power of the BJP government in our country one has seen a heightened level of activities in our border with Pakistan. This necessitates suitable reaction on our part.

But before deciding how to deal with them we must first analyses the problem of Pakistan. Pakistan today has not one government but three. The duly elected democratic government of Nawaz Sharif is the first one which is also the weakest. Second is the Pakistan Army and the ISI combination; and thirdly is the terrorist groupings of Taliban and Al Qaeda to which we can add foreign gangs like the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and so on.

Each of the above governments has its own separate aims, agenda and plans of actions. There may be some reasons to believe that the elected government of Nawaz Sharif is well intentioned and desires peace with India which can bring with it the advantages of mutually beneficial trade and prosperity. We would like to keep lines of communication open and welcome discussions on all matters between the two countries.

Pakistan Army and ISI, the second of the three governments, has not wavered one inch from its sworn aim of making Kashmir an international issue. To that effect they will unilaterally prosecute military action against India. They will continuously create disturbances in our border by firing across the LOC and ambushing our border patrols. They will also facilitate the move terrorist groups across our borders. As far as they are concerned the Nawaz Sharif government is irrelevant.

Now we come to the third government of Pakistan run by terrorists. Pakistani journalists like to trivialize them as non-state players but they are an independent power center in that country. With the withdrawal of US from Afghanistan the terrorist are now practically jobless. They will send their cadres across the border to create as much trouble and mayhem as possible in Kashmir. In this they will be funded and facilitated by the Pakistan Army and ISI.

The apparent quandary in which the people of India find themselves in regard to Pakistan is because we have not understood this ‘three government’ poser that exists there. Once that is understood India can easily get the better of Pakistan provided it becomes our clear policy that we do not care whether Pakistan is a stable country or a failed state.

Once our comprehension level rises to grasp this status about Pakistan it becomes apparent us that we have to deal with each of the three governments of Pakistan so as to get an upper hand over them.

Our government should continue to talk with the elected government of Pakistan on matters of mutual importance immaterial of other border related and terrorist incidents that may take place. The democratically elected government should be given all the consideration we accord to other governments. What action we take against the other two governments should not impinge on this relationship.

We ought to deal with Army and the ISI government of Pakistan using our military might. No quarter should be given to the Pakistani Armed forces. In this the Indian Army should act on the basis of ‘offensive-defense’ strategy. Every action should be taken to bring the Pakistani Army to its knees.

Regarding the terrorist government of Pakistan it is time that we took them on in right earnest. Their terror factories are dotted all along our border. Our intelligence set up should penetrate these factories. We should use force to destroy those units. Their madrassas should also come under our scrutiny. Mullahs who poison young minds against India and encourage children to grow up as terrorists should be identified and suitably punished for their anti-human activities.

We need to develop a ‘three spine’ method of dealing with each of the three governments of Pakistan separately. Once we evolve an effective three spine method we will find that they have been effectively neutralized.