Whose Kargil version to believe?

By Amit Baruah

ISLAMABAD, JUNE 13. Just when Pakistan was asking India to forget about Kargil and get on with life, the ghosts of last year's military misadventure by Islamabad have returned to haunt the military Government of Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

As the Urdu press reported today that the Government was examining the possibility of registering a treason case against the ousted Prime Minister, Mr. Nawaz Sharif, for his statement that the Army had kept him in the dark about Kargil, it became clear that the last word on the issue has not been said.

As far back as July 1999, the Army Chief, Gen. Musharraf, made it clear that everyone was on board the Kargil operation. Over and over again, the military has stated that Mr. Sharif was very much in the picture as far as the operation was concerned.

There is little doubt that Mr. Sharif has spoken out only after being convicted to a life term in the plane hijacking case. Till Tuesday, the former Prime Minister had only spoken in general terms about Kargil.

On March 9, 2000, Mr. Sharif informed a Karachi court that his differences with Gen. Musharraf dated back to Kargil. Describing Kargil as one the most serious crises in Pakistan's history, the former Prime Minister had said: ``He (Gen. Musharraf) was playing hide and seek on this issue not only with me but also with the armed forces. My objection to this conduct became a source of resentment for him... I will not for reasons of national security elaborate any further on this issue although it is necessary that the people of Pakistan must be informed of the truth about Kargil.''

To this, the Government responded by saying Mr. Sharif had been briefed at least four times on the military aspects of Kargil (Jang, March 15, 2000). In these ``briefings'', the then Prime Minister was informed that through Kargil, the flagging international interest in Kashmir could be revived and Siachen vacated from Indian possession. Also, the Government claimed that the differences between the Army and the civilian leadership pre- dated Kargil. Interestingly, Mr. Sharif's ``secret envoy'' for talks with India before and during Kargil, Mr. Niaz Naik, had stated something in September 1999 similar to what the ousted Prime Minister said in Attock yesterday - that Mr. Sharif got to know about Kargil only when the Indians did.

Mr. Sharif, it would appear, has now dropped his hesitation to give his version about Kargil. With little to lose after his conviction, the deposed Prime Minister has now launched a sharp attack on Gen. Musharraf for Kargil.

He told reporters at the Attock court yesterday: ``This ill- planned and ill-conceived operation was kept so secret that besides the Prime Minister and the Chiefs of the Navy and Air Force were also kept in the dark.

``Our loss on the Kargil heights was more than what we suffered in 1965's full-fledged war (with India),'' Mr. Sharif was quoted as saying, adding that Gen. Musharraf himself wanted him to bring the United States into the picture to sort out the mess. It may be recalled that the then Prime Minister was condemned for his ``personal'' initiative of visiting Washington and signing the withdrawal document with the U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, on July 4, 1999. Given that this is the first time Mr. Sharif has spoken out on Kargil, his statement is bound to generate interest and debate. The military, for its part, will continue to insist that the then Prime Minister was kept in the picture from the planning stage.

There is little doubt that Mr. Sharif's statement is quite close to the Indian position. Also, the BJP Government's cooperation with Mr. Sharif even during Kargil - remember the Gen. Musharraf- Lt. Gen. Aziz Khan transcript? - was a bid to project that there was a deep schism within the Pakistani establishment.

For Pakistan, Pakistanis and the rest of the world, Kargil will probably continue to remain an enigma. Till date, it was believed that Mr. Sharif was generally aware of Kargil and his ``attention span'' did not permit the sinking in of details. But on Tuesday, the former Prime Minister told a different tale. The Army, of course, has its own version.

Where does the truth lie?

* * *

'I have a lot more to say'

KARACHI, JUNE 13. The deposed Pakistani Prime Minister, Mr. Nawaz Sharif, today vowed to expose the Kargil debacle and launched another broadside at the military from the sidelines of his appeal against a terrorism conviction.

Mr. Sharif said he would name those responsible for the bloody border conflict with India last year if he was allowed to testify before a military commission.

``I know the people who were behind this conflict but I will reveal their names at the commission,'' he said, and added that he had ``lot more to say'' once the commission was set up.

``Kargil was the biggest debacle after the 1971 war with India,'' which led to the dismemberment of Pakistan, Mr. Sharif said. He reiterated his demand for an official investigation and that he was not aware of the operation until after the fighting erupted in May.

- AFP

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