Who Attacked Pathankot Air Base
By Zaheerul Hassan
Six suspected terrorists in Indian Army uniform attacked Pathankot Air Base early morning on the second
Pathankot: An armored vehicle moves near the Indian Air Force base that was attacked by militants in Pathankot, Punjab on Saturday.
day of the year 2016. It is MiG-21 Bison base of the Indian Air Force and located about 50 kms from Gurdaspur where another terror attack took place in July,2015. Pathankot air force base is about 430km (270 miles) north of the Indian capital, Delhi. Six terrorists and seven individuals of security forces including one Lt Col of Indian Army have been killed during clearance operation of the base. The operation continued for more than 48 hours. The reports reveal that the terrorists came in a jeep that was a day earlier snatched after thrashing out a Superintendent of Police and his two associates on the night of 31st December, 2015. On the same day some elements have fired over Indian Embassy located in Mazar Sharif, Afghanistan. As usual Indian media and governments without any investigations started alleging Pakistan for sponsoring terrorists attack on Pathankot Air base. Whereas global community is well aware of the facts and admitting too that Pakistan is already effectively fighting against terrorism. Therefore this time, involving Pakistan in Pathankot air base episode would not likely to be bought by the community.
In fact, before making any opinion and giving final verdict over the immersion or sponsorship of the attack, there is a need to evaluate the detailed analysis basing on certain available information, facts and evidences which came into the limelight through eyewitness. In this regard, some channels of Indian electronic media reported that few local business men and spectators disclosed very important points which might be helpful in reaching to the right conclusion. Firstly, shops located in the vicinity which were shut down at 10 PM in routine were forcefully closed at 5 PM on the day earlier of the attack by the local security authorities. Secondly, for security purposes the barriers placed on the road leading to the airbase were removed day earlier of the attack. Thirdly, the security forces acted on the advance intelligence and National Security Guard teams were intimated in advance on the evening to handle the potent threat. Fourthly, Ajit Doval is the same National Security Advisor who passed all available information to the base and local agencies and later on stated coordinating the whole operation. Fifthly, notorious Indian intelligence agency RAW provided concocted information to the media for maligning Pakistan and criticizing Prime Minister Modi and his party BJP.
It is also worth mentioning here that intelligence boss placed in RAW’s nerve center, hardcore of RSS, and Congress Party did not accept his recent try of normalization of relations with Pakistan and decided to thrash out Modi . On the other hand, major Pakistani political parties despite having reservations over Modi’s past speeches and hard remarks against Pakistan , have welcome the surprise visit of Indian Prime minster to Pakistan. Contrary to it Indian media and opposition parties did not endorse Prime Minister Modi’s steps towards improving relations with nuclear Pakistan. These elements straight away alleged Pakistani supreme intelligence agency and some of Indian media channels irresponsibly claimed that Chief of Army Staff was in the knowledge of execution of attack on air base, Indian media is continually yelling while repeating the same old story of involvement of Pakistan in its domestic terrorism.
Indeed, some hardcore Indian extremists have planned and executed this drama as they had staged by hitting Pakistani fishing boat on the 1st January, 2015. Other version could be that some elements of occupied Kashmir movement, Khalistan movement or from Maoists movement might have attacked the base. In any case Pakistan is no more engrossed in proxy war against her neighbor and interested in peacefully resolving core issues like Kashmir, water and Siachen with India. Pakistan has strongly condemned the attack on Pathankot . However, these is a need that UN should play her role in settling down of the revealed issues which will ultimately emerge as guarantee to the regional and global peace . India should also pay attention to train its security forces’ elements since they took too long to in cleaning up the base that is still under its way of consolidation. Failing in handling the operation successfully, removal of barriers from the roads leading to the base, a day earlier of attack forcefully shutting down the shops in the near vicinity and not taking proactive measures, or insufficient arrangements despite having early information of attack are raising many questions about the veracity of Indian claim of attacking the base by some foreign sponsored terrorists.
The writer can be approached through zameer36@gmail.com
