LESSONS FROM KARGIL, A QUARTER CENTURY LATER

There is a need to document the Pakistani Army's misadventures along the Line of Control. Even today, it tells Pakistan's citizens that it controls Siachen glacier

- LT GEN SYED ATA HASNAIN

ON the 25th anniversary of the commencement of Operation Vijay, I feel it's time to energise the national conscience and institutionalise memories of the eventful time. We are referring to the year 1999, when the Pakistan Army's ambitions, out of sync with reality and lacking any sense of military clarity, led it to a catastrophic military operation. This was an attempt to capture some Indian territory in the high-altitude district of Kargil to pressure the Indian Army to vacate Siachen glacier. It resulted in horrific casualties for both armies.

Such events tend to be forgotten by the following generations. Till an emotional connection exists, relatives and associates revel in the heroism of our resistance, the tenacious fight-back and unwillingness to give up an inch of national territory. Yet, we are notorious for harbouring convenient memories. A quarter century later, not many will recall the events of May to July 1999 and how India turned the tide after being initially surprised by the rogue Pakistani action.

There are lessons from Kargil and other such Pakistani misadventures that need to be enshrined in such a way that Pakistan never risks them again. Understanding our adversaries is the key. There are some characteristics which the Pakistan Army and its leadership possess that may never change; the Indian public needs to be aware of these. The Pakistan Army is an entity independent of civilian control. The generals govern without being in government, thus remaining shorn of responsibility for their actions. These actions may never be in consonance with national interests. They are often executed to satisfy personal ego and without 'thinking through' the full impact and implications of their actions.