LoC firings: India working on directions from US, says ex-Pak admiral

Former Pakistan admiral Javed Iqbal has said the that exchange of firing on the LoC was because India was working under directions from the US.

“Why were the eastern borders were quiet for the past nine years? Because Washington was telling you not to disturb the ceasefire. You are only working on the direction of the US,” Iqbal said, adding, “You are claiming to be totally independent, but you are not. You are being directed by the US.”

Speaking during a debate on NDTV, the admiral also blamed the Indian government for bringing up the ceasefire violation and infiltration because the elections were approaching and also because they were under pressure from the BJP.

“This issue is being brought up by India because of the approaching polls. You have to understand that Pakistan is deep in trouble, it has power problems and a terrorist issue. This issue has been started by India to sabotage talks,” he said.

He said that if India really wanted to solve issue then it would have helped Nawaz Sharif in solving the terrorism problem rife in the country.

Responding to Iqbal’s argument, former Army chief VP Malik said, “In 1999 who dictated terms to Nawaz Sharif to pull back from the LoC, it was the US. Also, when we talk of infiltration , have the infiltrators ever been caught on the Pakistani side? Have they ever been stopped by the Pakistani army?”

Ambassador KC Singh also defended the India stand, saying “You cannot equate the Pakistani Army and the Indian Army. We are restrained. Look at the irony, Sharif is in Washington exactly after 14 yrs like he was during the Kargil war. Meanwhile the person who started ceasefire (Pervez Musharraf) is sitting under house arrest.”

Singh also questioned Nawaz Sharif’s agenda. “Nawaz is not totally innocent. He and the army have a convergence of interest when it comes to Punjabi jihadis and the Kashmir issue,” Singh alleged.

To Singh’s arguments, Iqbal said if Sharif wasn’t innocent then why did jihadis not disappear when he was out of power.

He also blamed India for not solving the Kashmir issue. “Why don’t we solve the Kashmir issue? Why is India shy of that? If that issue is not solved then there will be no peace,” Iqbal said.

Meanwhile author and expert on ethnic conflicts and peace processes, Radha Kumar, was of the opinion that a blame game is not the solution and that the dialogue needs to move to how the LoC issue can be solved.

“The problem is we always talk about the other side in a negative way. We need to move the discussion to how can we stop the ceasefire,” she said.

However she agreed that the number of border infiltrations this year were of an unprecedented number. “Infiltration along the LoC has trebled this year. The militant groups may be trying to push the envelope,” she said.

Concluding the discussion, Malik said that while political talks may carry on, the army on both sides should be allowed to do their work. “Let the armed forces do their jobs on the border,” he said.