I hope that sanity returns soon to the sub-continent and hawkish talk (and now action) of war mongering does not get out of hand. It is all too easy for things to escalate. It is never easy for them to be brought back into control once they have done so.
In what seems to be a case of military provocation and pressure tactics against Pakistan, Indian planes violated Pakistani airspace yesterday. Even though the violations have been officially termed as ‘inadvertent’, two border violations on the same day are a little too much. It will be interesting to see whether international community says anything against these violations or remains silent spectator.
According to latest Dawn update:
ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: Indian planes violated Pakistan’s airspace on Saturday, but fighters of the Pakistan Air Force chased them away, military as well as civilian officials confirmed late in the night.
Air Commodre Humayun Viqar Zephyr, a PAF spokesman, told Dawn that the Indian planes intruded into Pakistan’s airspace in Azad Kashmir and Lahore sectors, but left as soon as they sighted the PAF jets.
He said there was no cause for concern as the PAF was “fully alive to the situation and capable of giving a befitting reply in case of a misadventureâ€.
Official sources said President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani were immediately informed about the incident and the matter was taken up with the Indian authorities.
Information Minister Sherry Rehman confirmed that Islamabad had got in touch with authorities in New Delhi, implicitly conceding that the violation did take place. But she hastened to add that Indians had done it inadvertently
From Pakistani side, I am heartened to read the messages of unity where both Government and opposition leaders have put aside their petty differences and unequivocally condemned this act of aggression.
Lets see what effects such violations will have. Will Pakistan now move its armed forces towards Indian border leaving the western border less guarded? With the Pakistani border on both the West and the East being violated routinely, something will have to give? But what? Who will win in such situation? How will such acts effect the democratic government in Pakistan?
Will good sense prevail and will diplomacy prevail over aggression? I certainly hope it does.
Who does this help? Politicians inside India, of course; they can use this to evoke primal instincts in their people.
given the event and the context I think the reaction of the Pakistan govt was very sensible and sober. I hope the Indians would also shun the jingoism and act soberly.
Such inadvertent technical mistakes are not at all a navigation failure nor are they a matter of sovereign threat in terms of violation.
There is always a span of 15 to 20 km between two no fly zones.
This span as safe zone is utilized for reactionary purposes so to react through aerial interception and engagement which require 3 to 5 minutes in dire need.
However during era of escalation and reservation between countries such iatrogenic violations are always perceived as suspicious and contagious.
Aircrafts and fighter planes do crosses such demarcations inadvertently but interceptions via radar and aerial response reception the intruders.
Under extreme of repetitive behavior as present misbehaving, reactionary planes cordon the intruder but do not engage to flare shoot out.
Aerial violation in military strategy have provoking element of mischief and tease where by enemy calculate the reaction and response of the counterpart so to scrutiny the preparedness and effective policy of engagement in future and strategically can not be taken lightly.
It will be interesting to see whether international community says anything against these violations or remains silent spectator.
The ‘international community’ is only the USA and about half a dozen stooges. Don’t expect too much out of them.
Well said.
I hope that both countries will behave sensibly in this time.
If this was on purpose then the Indians are playing right into the hands of the terrorists who would love nothing more than India-Pakistan relations to become worse. That would be a victory for the extremists in both countries who want exactly that.
I pray that both governments will show maturity instead of macho in this time.