ISLAMABAD: Pakistan military chief Basic Asim Munir has dropped his nation’s 25-year-old declare that solely indigenous Kashmiri rebels had fought the 1999 Kargil Conflict towards India.
Talking at an occasion to commemorate Pakistan’s “Defence Day”, Gen Munir admitted his navy’s direct involvement within the Kargil Conflict and honoured the Pakistani troopers killed intuit battle.
“Pakistani troopers have sacrificed their lives in 1948, 1965, 1971, and the Kargil struggle for the sake of the nation and Islam,” Gen Munir mentioned.
Pakistan’s navy had tried on a minimum of two events — 1948 and 1965 — to ship its forces into Kashmir to begin a insurrection towards Indian rule. On each events, the navy had publicly denied direct involvement, saying indigenous Kashmiri rebels have been combating Indian forces.
In 1999, nevertheless, hundreds of paramilitary Northern Mild Infantry regulars, drawn completely from Gilgit-Baltistan and expert in high-altitude fight, have been despatched to occupy navy posts that Indian troops would vacate within the snowy months.
They established positions on the heights and commanded a view of the Srinagar-Leh freeway, a serious provide route for Indian troops stationed on the Siachen glacier.
When India detected the incursion in early Might 1999, Pakistan had claimed they have been Kashmiri militants combating Indian rule.
Based on observers, Pakistan had despatched troops to Kargil to chop Indian provides to Siachen, inflict heavy losses on Indian troops and stress them into negotiating a settlement of the Kashmir dispute on Pakistani phrases. Since Islamabad had carried out nuclear exams a yr earlier, Pakistani generals have been anticipating a muted response from India.
However the Indians hit again arduous, sending infantry backed by artillery and air help. By mid-June the Pakistani positions on the hills started to fall. There have been additionally worldwide requires Pakistan to withdraw its forces. Proof prompt the Pakistani navy management had not shared particulars of the Kargil operation with the govt. of then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. On July 4, Sharif was compelled to announce a unilateral ceasefire. His govt was toppled in a navy coup two months later.
India had reconquered the Kargil heights by July 26. It misplaced greater than 500 troops within the struggle, whereas estimates of Pakistani losses vary from 400 to about 4,000. 1000’s of individuals made homeless by the struggle are displaced in Pakistan to today.
Talking at an occasion to commemorate Pakistan’s “Defence Day”, Gen Munir admitted his navy’s direct involvement within the Kargil Conflict and honoured the Pakistani troopers killed intuit battle.
“Pakistani troopers have sacrificed their lives in 1948, 1965, 1971, and the Kargil struggle for the sake of the nation and Islam,” Gen Munir mentioned.
Pakistan’s navy had tried on a minimum of two events — 1948 and 1965 — to ship its forces into Kashmir to begin a insurrection towards Indian rule. On each events, the navy had publicly denied direct involvement, saying indigenous Kashmiri rebels have been combating Indian forces.
In 1999, nevertheless, hundreds of paramilitary Northern Mild Infantry regulars, drawn completely from Gilgit-Baltistan and expert in high-altitude fight, have been despatched to occupy navy posts that Indian troops would vacate within the snowy months.
They established positions on the heights and commanded a view of the Srinagar-Leh freeway, a serious provide route for Indian troops stationed on the Siachen glacier.
When India detected the incursion in early Might 1999, Pakistan had claimed they have been Kashmiri militants combating Indian rule.
Based on observers, Pakistan had despatched troops to Kargil to chop Indian provides to Siachen, inflict heavy losses on Indian troops and stress them into negotiating a settlement of the Kashmir dispute on Pakistani phrases. Since Islamabad had carried out nuclear exams a yr earlier, Pakistani generals have been anticipating a muted response from India.
However the Indians hit again arduous, sending infantry backed by artillery and air help. By mid-June the Pakistani positions on the hills started to fall. There have been additionally worldwide requires Pakistan to withdraw its forces. Proof prompt the Pakistani navy management had not shared particulars of the Kargil operation with the govt. of then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. On July 4, Sharif was compelled to announce a unilateral ceasefire. His govt was toppled in a navy coup two months later.
India had reconquered the Kargil heights by July 26. It misplaced greater than 500 troops within the struggle, whereas estimates of Pakistani losses vary from 400 to about 4,000. 1000’s of individuals made homeless by the struggle are displaced in Pakistan to today.