Attack On 18 Wing: IAF Airbase Pathankot .. Act of War
By Colonel Awadhesh Kumar, Special Forces
(An old article published in Jagruk Bharat in Mar2016. Was quoted on Bharat Rakshak too. It seems para 4 and 5 have been taken seriously by at least a few people somewhere)
1. 18 WING, IAF is located at Pathankot in the state of Punjab. The IAF base was attacked by a group of Pakistani terrorists on 02 Jan16. These Pakistanis were trained and armed inside their camps in Pakistan. They were then briefed regarding their mission in one of those training camps located in side Pakistan and there after infiltrated through Pakistani BORDER into India. Once inside India, they still remained in constant touch with their Controllers inside Pakistan.
2. This attack on our IAF airbase SHOULD NOT repeat SHOULD NOT be called AN ACT OF TERROR OR TERRORIST ATTACK. Instead in all our Official Statements, TV and Print Media and every utterance from our Countrymen should term this AN ACT OF WAR. Thus our Airbase has been attacked by an ENEMY.
3. Now who is this ENEMY? Presently the Enemy remains unidentified but in time to come whoever may be responsible will be identified. Then we will go all out to destroy that ENEMY. However as they have come into India from the soil of Pakistan, through the Pakistani border controlled by the Govt of Pakistan, therefore the Govt of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan have to bear the responsibility. Incase they are not forth coming to own up their share of the blame for this attack then we must apportion a proportionate share of the blame on them. As we are a responsible democratic nation we will not be unreasonable and therefore in this instance we will apportion not more than 30 % on the Govt of Pakistan and just 10% blame on the People of Pakistan for having elected such an Govt. Next such incident and the percentage of blame increases accordingly.
4. Now the action part. The comfort level of all the ACTORS…Terrorist Organisations, Terrorist Leadership, Govt of Pakistan, Pakistan Armed Forces and the People of Pakistan… has to be brought down notch by notch, till either such ATTACKS end or the comfort level ENDS. For every such ATTACK, there has to be a well calibrated, gradually upgraded retaliatory action from our side. The retaliatory action from our side may be one of actions listed below or a combination or all action as listed, simultaneously:
[a] Diplomatic Action
[b] Economic Retaliating
[c] Overt intelligence Retaliation
[d] Overt Military Retaliation on the LOC / LC
[e] Covert intelligence Retaliation
[f] Covert Military Retaliation
[g] Cultural/ Sports Retaliation
[a] DIPLOMATIC ACTION. This has to be immediate. We continue the Talks but at Embassy level only, with constant threat of down grading it to Consular level. No PM/ FM/ NSA level talks. Matter to be raised at all International Forums, Regional Forums and wherever possible. Pakistan to be totally isolated within SAARC, South East Asia, ASEAN and wherever possible in Middle East and Europe.Ask Pakistan to hand over the Terrorist Leadership as per our list starting with Sallauddin.
[b] ECONOMIC ACTION. Certain economic sanctions in the form of ban on Export / Import of selected goods to be imposed forth with, with a threat to expand the list. Ask Pakistan to freeze the bank and all economic assets of all the Terrorist Outfits. Ask other countries todo the same or they too may face actions as deemed fit by us [ we will not spell it out and just keep them wondering ]. Through use of NAVAL DEMONSTRATION STRATEGY keep the threat of blockade of Pakistan alive.
[c] OVERT INTELLIGENCE RETALIATION. All out action against outfits/ modules/ suspects within own country and internationally with help of friendly Countries.
[d ] COVERT INTELLIGENCE RETALIATION. Establish contact with Baluch, Pakhtoon and Sindh Freedom Fighters. Gradually provide training and increase supply of weapons and equipment. Later plan for joint covert operations. Target militant leadership inside Pakistan and in other countries too.
[e] OVERT MILITARY ACTION. Target all known militant camps within range of Medium Arty/ rockets and issue-threat of use of BRAHMOS AND ARMED UAVs. First announce and then strike by UAV the last known position of Sayyed Sallaudin. Heavy arty retaliation on any attempted act of Infiltration.
[f] COVERT MILITARY ACTION. A few cross border raids at Formation level in selected areas. At least one major well planned raid on an important Militant Organisational HQ / Major Camp by our Special Forces and brazenly deny it but keep talking about PEACE all the time 24 * 7.
[g] CULTURAL AND SPORTS RELATIONSHIP. All bilateral sports ties to be cancelled. Cultural ties initially only on case to case basis.
5. Govt of India has to fine tune the above response and we the people must support it. The Media too has to share the National Aim.
