ISLAMABAD: A recently retired lieutenant general and a retired air vice marshal have highlighted some basic lapses in the present military strategy for Pakistan’s war-on-terror.

Former IGP of the Frontier Corps, KP and former corps commander Mangla Lt. Gen. (R) Tariq Khan and Air Vice Marshal Shahzad Chaudhry have argued in their writings that martyrdoms of youngsters could not be glorified to build a narrative that “Shahadat must be pursued at all costs” and rather inflicting maximum losses on the enemy through a comprehensive and well-thought-out war strategy is the ultimate victory of a nation.

Lt Gen Tariq Khan while talking to The News said without proper accountability of those responsible for serious lapses in military and security establishment, the war on terror could not be fought accurately.

General Tariq said Badaber attacker crossed police and FC check posts before reaching the airbase.

“This shows that our strategy was ‘defensive’ and we were only ready to counter any attack when it is carried out. Why those terrorists were not stopped at the FC check post and what accountability has been carried out to this effect so far?” General Tariq said there was also information that some terrorists entered the airbase from some gates without any interruption.

He questioned how all this was possible and what kind of accountability was being carried out. General Tariq said a more vigilant and an offensive strategy was needed for a result-oriented war-on-terror and to counter such attacks.

Regarding the overall war-on-terror strategy, General Tariq was of view that better border management was needed.

“Whatever Afghanistan says regarding the border wall or fencing has no value. It’s our border and we should move forward to control movements from this border,” General Tariq added. He said Afghan Transit trade was not OK. “There are problems in cattle movement; there is smuggling and movement of tens of thousands of

people on a daily basis on simple work permits has no justification,” General Tariq said.

“If we will allow all this to continue without proper checks and balances, many terrorists will penetrate towards our side and will play havoc,” General Tariq said adding, “If all this will continue and we will wait for terrorist attacks while sitting in our bases, this could never be termed a good war strategy.”

He said the government will have to address the issue of religious extremism on war footing through a compact and intelligent strategy.

Lt Gen Tariq Khan in his post quoted in a The News article: “I have seen the wanton destruction strewn all about us, have been witness to the flowing blood of our brave sons, have been there, done that and for too long, not to say what I must. It appears to me that we have begun to glorify Shahadat far more as a protective maneuver for the living rather than as recognition of our martyrs; and in our eagerness have now presented our young men a narrative, that. This will cause unnecessary deaths as our youngsters set out to die rather live for their beliefs.

“My salutation to the brave mothers and the strong fathers who survive the Shahadat of their sons and daughters and I am sure that this nation will not let this sacrifice go in vein, but I also condole with you for your loss; for a loss it is no matter what one may say. My greatest respect and admiration to our Shaheeds, their valour and their courage as they walked into the ‘valley of death’, but I would rather have them here by my side today where they are immensely missed, as we stumble down the path of conflict, confusion, and chaos.

But it is only fair that I say, I have also seen this sanctimonious dramatising of matters before as I am seeing them today. In order to show that things went as planned, that there was no omission and that the overall concept has proven successful, we tend to trip over one another congratulating each other and patting backs, as if we had intended for our young to die.

“This is not correct; the many who sacrificed their lives have done so for a great cause and the effect will be felt all over, but was it also because of incompetence and indifference; could we have done it in a better way, securing our objectives as well as the lives of our young? After all, in my mind, a military success is related to co-relation of losses and the damage done to the enemy, not the damage done to oneself.

“So I would like to urgently beseech everyone to get a hold of themselves, not let emotions runaway with reality, lest our courageous young men are sacrificed at the altar of those fanciful commanders whose enthusiasm exceeds their stupidity and who are willing to shed blood even to the last drop of their very own on account of their lack of capacity. They will never be open to any criticism, as if criticising them would somehow take something away from our Shaheeds. Believe me, I have seen this type and it’s the most dangerous kind of all who must be put to pasture.

“Forgive me if I have trespassed or hurt any feelings but let’s learn to call a spade a spade if we want to win this thing. But for those who are listening and can hear me, in the name of all that is honest and honourable, in our love for our Shaheeds and their glory, I beg with the utmost sincerity in my heart, please hold some investigation and establish where we went wrong or could have done better. Accountability saves lives. I myself have always said that there should be no enquiry in the field and what happens is an outcome of a judgment call but when I said that it was to protect action borne of initiative not inaction borne of indifference.”

In his article on September 22, 2015, AVM Shahzad Chaudhry highlighted some loopholes in the military strategy and pressed for better war strategy. Some important para from his article are reproduced here,

“War is not meant to be you dying for your country – it is by making the other bastard die for his”. So said George S Patton, the audacious US general who led his forces at breakneck speed and entered Germany in that final blow to the Third Reich. He was a fiery character with a language that is unrepeatable in decent company. He was never popular with his peers, nor with his officers, but his men loved him. Patton and his men gave the Allies their victory.

As Pakistan reels from another Fazlullah carnage, a host of issues open up. What did we learn from the APS attack? What did we do in the interregnum before the act was repeated to the tee at Badaber? I know what had, and has, gotten hold of the military mind but this nation of ours has only reinforced the deviance in dutiful compliance.

There aren’t any better sedatives than repeated sagas of valour, retold in popularised fables. We spent our entire first week of September lauding what was immaterial, and in the past. There was a time, when it almost became revolting to see faces being paraded from one channel to the other, singing praises of what had been. And even their only telling half-truths. Most of our stories of unparalleled courage are in ‘defence’.

In ‘offence’ we have either been stemmed, or simply blundered. We exude offence as a trait but hardly think it to its fullest as a system. So is our natural rhythm.

War, as generals ought to know, is only a measure of relative gains. Relative gains with some finesse can be converted to perceptions that become yet another trigger for another push; and in this sinusoidal convulsion, along the timeline, objectives are reached.

As soon as the tables turned for us, we flipped. Getting the first meeting going in Murree was when bugles were sounded far too early. The celebrations began; we touched our zenith and lost our focus. It took a minor spokesman at the NDS in Kabul to burst our tenuous balloon.

Lavishing praise is a tricky business. Contriving fables is even more dangerous, while pursuing legacies can instill unnecessary caution.

Plenty went wrong at Badaber. We should have the courage to admit it. Losing people is a loss; losing extraordinary people is an irrecoverable loss. We can’t cover that up with devising eulogies. Why and how did terrorists make it to the Camp’s Guard Room? I will not take issue with the defence tactics employed at Badaber since the attack was pre-informed in vivid detail, yet there is so much that needs to be internally debated on the detail of defending vulnerable points. My point of concern has always been the larger conception of it.”

