Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the press conference of Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry disagreement was that he presented evidence of his claims, in the shape of an audio clip. That India was engaged through its agents in committing terrorism in Pakistan, but to have the evidence made public so that there could be no mistake, was indeed novel. General Chaudhry presented a distinct c o contrast between himself and Indian spokesmen, who managed to bring the whole situation to the point of war, with the Indian government going so far as to ‘suspend’ the Indus Basin Waters Treaty; all without providing a single iota of evidence. General Chaudhry’s audio clip can be subjected to independent testing. His interpretation of it can be disputed (though admittedly he put so little spin on it as to preclude any dispute). The Indian media has been left by him to do its damnedest. The Indian government has not shown the courage of its convictions by making available the evidence in its possession.
One of the more disturbing conclusions that one can reach from what has been made available is that it is possible to find officers willing to engage in terrorism, with civilians as casualties. There is no justification for such unsoldierly activities, not even among members of the Intelligence Corps or intelligence formations. It almost seems as if Indian soldiers have been infected with the Israeli disease of failing to observe the rules of war, such as by bombing hospitals and refugee tents, and massacring ambulance crews. Is this a sign that India intends to fight a ‘dirty’ war, one in which its troops commit war crimes? Has the Indian Army lost all sense of soldierly honour, that it contains within it someone willing to target noncombatants?
General Chaudhry’s press conference and presentation of evidence adds to the already considerable dossier that Pakistan has already presented to the UN and members of the world community, including those countries which have now been hit by Indian terrorism, whose citizens have been murdered, been targeted. India finds it almost natural to target Pakistan with terrorism. It for those who support it as a large market to realise that their citizens have been targeted with skills honed in Pakistan, which has been victimised for decades.
