Pakistan army vs Nawaz Sharif - Thursday,
Aug 8, 2013,
By encouraging increased infiltrations along
the LoC, the Pakistani army may be trying to show its prime minister who the
real boss is, say experts.
While no one can point out the exact reasons
behind Pakistani attack on Indian soldiers, an interesting emerging view is
that it could be the work of those authorities (read military and intelligence
agencies) to halt Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s efforts of
maintaining friendly relations with India and also show as to who decides
Pakistan’s India strategy.
Experts opined that democratically elected Sharif’s position is put in question by Pakistani Army and intelligence agencies itself by such attacks.
“In my opinion, there are some elements in Pakistani Army and terrorist groups that are not very happy about Pakistani government speaking of better relations with India.
Pakistani Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani also told Sharif in his initial days to go slow on friendly relations with India,” said Wilson John of the Observer Research Foundation.
“The attack could be a desperate act by Pakistani Army and terror groups who certainly know that attack will undermine whatever little progress has been achieved since Sharif has taken over. The chances of prime minister Manmohan Singh meeting Sharif in the US now are bleak,” John added.
During the run up to Pakistani elections, Sharif had promised friendlier relations with India. But due to regular statements about improving relations with India, Sharif is a under huge pressure from right wing lobby in Pakistan.
Explaining the dynamics of the situation, Ashok Behuria, an expert with the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), said the increasing skirmishes at the India-Pakistan LoC could be a work of military and intelligence.
“There is an increase in the number of skirmishes at India-Pakistan border since 2009 — exactly around the time US President Barack Obama expressed intentions to pull out forces from Afghanistan. So, people may now want to divert attention towards Kashmir.
Since 2009, there is a clear spike in infiltration to India which may be facilitated by forces in Pakistan,” Behuria told dna.
He said that Nawaz Sharif’s constituency lies in the right-wing in faction of the Pakistani society but today he is under attack from the same section for opening up to India and is even accusing him of selling out to India.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult for him to manage this sentiment. Even if India knows that he may not be able to offset the military superiority, India should try to reach out and engage the civilian administration to maintain that this kind of reckless behaviour won’t help. Civilian administration should be used to at least try to tail the military administration,” he said.
Experts opined that democratically elected Sharif’s position is put in question by Pakistani Army and intelligence agencies itself by such attacks.
“In my opinion, there are some elements in Pakistani Army and terrorist groups that are not very happy about Pakistani government speaking of better relations with India.
Pakistani Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani also told Sharif in his initial days to go slow on friendly relations with India,” said Wilson John of the Observer Research Foundation.
“The attack could be a desperate act by Pakistani Army and terror groups who certainly know that attack will undermine whatever little progress has been achieved since Sharif has taken over. The chances of prime minister Manmohan Singh meeting Sharif in the US now are bleak,” John added.
During the run up to Pakistani elections, Sharif had promised friendlier relations with India. But due to regular statements about improving relations with India, Sharif is a under huge pressure from right wing lobby in Pakistan.
Explaining the dynamics of the situation, Ashok Behuria, an expert with the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), said the increasing skirmishes at the India-Pakistan LoC could be a work of military and intelligence.
“There is an increase in the number of skirmishes at India-Pakistan border since 2009 — exactly around the time US President Barack Obama expressed intentions to pull out forces from Afghanistan. So, people may now want to divert attention towards Kashmir.
Since 2009, there is a clear spike in infiltration to India which may be facilitated by forces in Pakistan,” Behuria told dna.
He said that Nawaz Sharif’s constituency lies in the right-wing in faction of the Pakistani society but today he is under attack from the same section for opening up to India and is even accusing him of selling out to India.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult for him to manage this sentiment. Even if India knows that he may not be able to offset the military superiority, India should try to reach out and engage the civilian administration to maintain that this kind of reckless behaviour won’t help. Civilian administration should be used to at least try to tail the military administration,” he said.
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