Monitoring Pakistan

20 Aug, 2000    ·   407

Dr. Bhashyam Kasturi stresses the need for a government body that monitors and analyses Pakistan in the context of Indian strategic interests
Some years ago a former defence official went to Pakistan . At Islamabad he was taken to the Regional Centre for Strategic in Islamabad by his Pakistani hosts. Here he was shown around the place and saw rows of newspaper clippings. The visiting Indian was told these were devoted exclusively to India and that every single article by an Indian defence and strategic analyst of significance was available here.

 

 

The former defence official still recalls with surprise that this institute was solely devoted to studying India . It was clear that Pakistan , which we consider as enemy number one, knows, for more about India than otherwise thought.

 

 

In fact, he posits that it would be difficult to find an institute of this type in India . Besides a handful of experts within the system, there are very few persons with knowledge of Pakistan . Should this not alert our decision makers to ponder over the existing system of threat analysis and introduce some form of coordination existing assets? 

 

 

Those dealing with Pakistan in the intelligence, the MEA and military must share their information. The same could be assessed by the NSCS and sent to all concerned action. Alternatively, the officers concerned could meet once a month in the NSCS under an official directly charged with Pakistan .

 

 

In addition, think and universities specialising in affairs need an incentive to study Pakistan , particularly its internal dynamics. The main issue is being able to understand the Pak mind. Setting up an institute to study Pakistan   is an idea worth putting into practice, like the Institute of Chinese Studies . 

 

 

Kargil provides the best illustration of how the Pak military could be autonomous decision makers and undertake an audacious operation against India . The information available to the decision makers prior to the Kargil intrusion makes it clear, (as could not from the report the KRC) that it was in and bits pieces. This required seasoned assessment to discern the larger picture.

 

 

For instance, RAW reported that Pakistan was purchasing 500 pairs of snow shoes in Europe , But in the KRC Report no mention of what was done with this report. Was there internal debate on what this meant. And was it sent to the military for further analysis. If it was, what was their reaction?

 

 

All these questions could have been considered if a coordination group on Pakistan was there within the NSCS, with over arching powers to summon intelligence reports relating to the country, security for analysis. If there is a problem with input sharing at a formal level, as is currently prevailing, then an informal access channel could be set up. The level at which responsibility should be fixed can be decided by the PM and EAM.

 

 

At the nation celebrates and remembers the anniversary of the Kargil war, it is imperative that government thinks through this problem and swings into action.     

 

 

 

 

 

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