Reports of India’s heavy deployment of BrahMos and army contingents to the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir Line of Control (LoC) has fueled Pakistan’s expectations of a false flag attack. It appears that the Modi-led government seeks a diversion from the domestic turmoil and mass protests over the Citizen Amendment Bill, and is therefore, stirring up war hysteria.
News reports reveal that India has moved its units of BrahMos, the medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missiles, to occupied Kashmir near the Line of Control (LoC). Earlier this week, Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat apprised Indian journalists of the possibility of escalation on the LoC and cautioned that the Indian Army must be prepared for the “spiraling of the escalatory matrix”. These remarks were dismissed by Director General ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor in a tweet, who criticized New Delhi’s bid to divert attention from the mass protests triggered by BJP’s Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).
Possibility of a false flag
It is important to note that the BrahMos missile has an extended range of 600km, which allows the Indian Army to target half of the Pakistani territory alongside the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) border. Reports reveal that the Pakistan Army is closely monitoring the deployments and developments alongside the LoC in the occupied Himalayan territory of Kashmir. Arrangements are being made as the Pakistan armed forces is prepared to launch a befitting response to any Indian misadventure.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has penned down several letters to the President of Security Council and UN Secretary-General, apprising the global body on its apprehensions over India’s continued deployments, missile testing, ceasefire violations and its intensified brutality in occupied Kashmir. Foreign Minister’s latest letter, penned down on December 12, warned the UN Security Council of the possibility of a false flag attack. The letter said, “Further escalating the already tense environment in South Asia, India has stepped up unprovoked and deliberate ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) and is taking steps that are posing serious risks for regional peace and security.”
“Some details include: Over 3000 ceasefire violations, targeting over 300 civilians, including women and children since January 2019 alone. Partial removal of the fence on the LoC in five sectors. The reason could only be planning for some ‘misadventure’ across the LoC.” It added, “Deployment of BrahMos Missile regiments, Anti-Tank guided missiles and Spike missiles for use across the LoC. Conduct of numerous missile tests since August 2019.” The Foreign Minister also highlighted the “bellicose rhetoric” emerging from the Indian leadership that is intensifying tensions by “threatening inter alia to review their nuclear doctrine, establish “physical jurisdiction” over Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), and “dismember” Pakistan.”
He called upon the UN Security Council to play its mandated role in averting all threats to peace and stability, and immediately ending the suffering of the Kashmiri people under occupation. He put forward Pakistan’s proposal of strengthening the presence of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to observe and report on the situation along the LoC.
India whipping war hysteria
Speaking to GVS, Jan Achakzai, a notable political analyst with ties in diplomatic circles, observed that India is back to its typical strategy of whipping up war hysteria when domestic politics spiral out of the control of the Narendra Modi-led government. Achakzai said, “Same old script Indian government is following: when under pressure domestically, it whips war hysteria and brings in Pakistan as a scapegoat to India’s myriad of crises unfolding under Prime Minister Modi’s watch.” The Baloch analyst continued, “Again the country is inflamed after the annexation of Kashmir, NRC and CAB moves: huge resentment from North East to North and South West, and the fall out of economic downward spiral have taken Modi government by surprise so it needs a way out to manage an unmanageable situation the country has stumbled into: the best script is to shift attention to Pakistan and create war mongering panic.”
He observed that it is highly likely that the Modi-led government make undertake a misadventure along the LoC. Achakzai said, “This is why it is highly expected Modi government may do some misadventure along LOC or any other drama of surgical strike or some sort of false flag as suggested by the latest Psy-ops and on the ground intelligence reports.” The Baloch analyst said that in whatever form and shape this misadventure comes, “Pakistan is poised for a strong response in countering any aggression India will commit.” He said, “It is sad that fascist Modi is again trying to risk a violent escalation between the two nuclear-armed countries and he is completely oblivious that it may put the lives of billions of people in danger and destroy the peace and stability of the entire region.”
“Pakistan’s strategic response will be a befitting reply matching any escalation in double terms and making it all the more painful for India if Delhi ventures.”