Documents recovered from the bodies of enemy soldiers killed at Kargil tell the story of a Pakistani military misadventure and the failure of Indian intelligence two decades ago.
The letter, dated May 15, 1999, bore the crest of two crossed swords under a burning sun. Draped around the swords was a sash with words from a couplet by Persian poet Saadi Shirazi: Pir sho biyamooz (grow old learning).
‘My dear Saeed Ahmed,’ Major General Javaid Afzal Khan, commandant of the Pakistan Army’s Command and StaffCollege in Quetta whose insignia this was, wrote to the young Major from the 60 Baloch Regiment in that letter. ‘I felicitate you on your selection for the 2000 Staff Course, which is a reflection of your dedication to service and higher standing in the army. We are looking forward to welcoming you and hope that your stay will both be professionally rewarding and socially enjoyable.’ Nagra had been part of the 12th battalion of the Northern Light Infantry (12 NLI), one of the five battalions the Pakistan army sent nearly 10 kilometres deep into Indian territory in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The letter—sent to Nagra’s regiment in Kharian in Punjab province—was among the wealth of documentary evidence the Indian Army recovered when the fighting stopped on July 26, 1999. Nagra was among those who had managed to escape. He went on to rise in service and is currently Inspector General of the Frontier Corps in the South Balochistan region. But his comrades then were not as lucky.
When they went to reclaim the heights, soldiers of the Indian Army found bodies of over 200 Pakistani soldiers lodged in bunkers or contorted in shallow trenches, hit probably by artillery fire from Indian howitzers. As they went through the pockets and rucksacks of the dead fighters, the men of the Indian Army recovered documents that helped them paint a profile of the unseen enemy who had sat hidden in stone sangars overlooking National Highway 1A, that connects Kashmir valley to Jammu and the rest of India.
This story is from the July 15, 2019 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 15, 2019 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Essential Ratios To Navigate Your Finances
Use these 10 key performance indicators or KPIs to analyse your financial status and monitor the progress toward wealth creation
BJP's Haryana Hurricane
Its Stupendous Win In The State Rejuvenates The Cadre And Hands The Party A Ready Template To Follow In The Upcoming Polls In Maharashtra And Jharkhand
A SHOW OF MILESTONES
GALLERY ESPACE CELEBRATES ITS 35TH YEAR BY LOOKING BACK AND STEPPING FORWARD
Lose Control
Vikramaditya Motwane examines the perils of digital dependence in his screenlife thriller Ctrl
Hitting Their Stride
Under Harmanpreet Singh's stewardship, the Indian hockey team has had a string of recent successes
BREATHLESS OVER KABADDI
The Pro Kabaddi League has proven to be a shot in the arm for the contact sport. The new season, which will begin on October 18, is eagerly awaited
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Use this formula to find out how your investment is doing and how much you are actually gaining from it
SHINING SURGE IN GOLD LOANS
The rising price of gold has encouraged people to borrow against the yellow metal, as they get better terms for this asset compared to other forms of borrowing
AYUSHMAN BHARAT AND SENIOR CITIZENS
The extension of the national PMJAY health insurance scheme to over-70 seniors could be a social security game-changer. Meanwhile, relief for depositors if your bank fails
TITAN WHO DARED TO DREAM BIG
Remembering the gentle giant who turned steel into dreams, cars into revolutions, and boardrooms into launching pads for India’s global ambitions, while redefining corporate philanthropy