India's successful Balakot operations and Pakistan's denial

Pakistan and its media cell is busy once again this year in a counter-narrative campaign in the wake of the anniversary of the successful Balakot operations. The chief motive of this campaign by Pakistan is to propagate an alternate narrative through motivated campaigns, fabrications and lies and masquerade Pakistani failure as deemed success

The sense of failure among the Pakistan’s deep state on account of India’s action on JeM terrorist camps in February 2019 is so acute that there is a desperate and renewed attempt every year to regurgitate the same lies and hard-sell its failure into success in the eye of its citizens. It is also meant as an false assurance on the Pak Armed Forces counter capability against an act of external aggression by India.

In reality, however, every year on the anniversary of the terrorist camp attack at Jabba top, near Balakot, the people of Pakistan are made to relive the humiliation that they have undergone because of India’s resolute action against Pakistan-sponsored terror, following the Pulwama attack on 14 February 2019. In Pakistan, the collective amnesia of Balakot counter strike against terrorists in Pakistan continues to run deep and its media cronies constantly seek to supplant the memory of humiliation with delusional accounts of bravado and compassion on its anniversary.                                                                            

Pertinently, on 26 February 2019, the Indian Air Force (IAF), using Mirage 2000 fighter jets, crossed the Rubicon (the LoC and the international border) and launched a coordinated pre-emptive strike on the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror camp at Jabba Top, Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan, hitting the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror camp.

Post the missile launch, the Indian Air Force planes returned unchallenged and safely to their bases. These strikes were a direct response to the Pakistan-supported terror group JeM’s suicide attack on the convoy of Indian CRPF jawans at Lethopora, Pulwama near Srinagar. The fact that despite prior apprehensions by Pak establishment regarding likely counter action by India and their forces remaining at high alert, the well planned action by IAF strikes highlighted complete breakdown of the alert system as well as Pakistani ability to fend off such strikes.

The Pakistani ‘military establishment’ was overwhelmingly overtaken by surprise and shock because the think tank and the military establishment could not comprehend that India would ever cross the border/LoC. Pertinently, even in the wake of the Kargil attack, India had exercised restraint and similarly in the aftermath of the more provocative Mumbai terror attacks, India chose not to strike Muridke, the terror module of Lashkar-e-Taiba despite clear evidence of Pakistani collusion in the act.

However, immediately after the Pulwama attack, India decided to launch an offensive attack deep inside Pakistan in the KPK province; intended to deliver a clear message to Pakistan that Pakistan would need to recalibrate its terror strategy vis-à-vis India. The message from India was unequivocal and clear that India would no more keep quiet against Pakistan sponsored terror groups and would retaliate resolutely against such incidents in future and would not hesitate to cross the LoC/border to respond to such attacks and take out the facilities run by such non-state actors, deep inside Pakistani territory.

Various articles in Pak media post the attack depicted utter shock in Pakistan government establishment and disarray in the political leadership post India’s counteraction. The bubble burst of deemed military prowess had suddenly dented their image badly. As a face saving, and to counter this shock and humiliation, Pakistan’s DG ISPR launched a perception war that India failed in its attempt because of Pakistan’s preparedness and deterring ability.

Days later, when an Indian pilot was brought down, after shooting down a Pakistani F-16 when Pakistan had attempted semblance to retaliate against Balakot attack two days later, Pakistan returned the Pilot in the face of massive pressure from India in terms of military posturing and diplomatic pressure from the international community.

The Pak media described a real story a year later, wherein, Gen Bajwa, the then army chief of Pakistan, his legs shaking and sweating profusely, made an entreaty to the government to release the Pilot, failing which India would launch an attack that very evening.

The success of Balakot air strikes at Jabba terrorist training camp displayed India's strong will to act against terrorism and marked a paradigm shift in India's defense policy. It was a paradigm shift in the operational tactics, which India plans in future against militants operating from across the Pakistan borders.

The Pulwama attack exposed the face of sinister Pakistani strategy of using terrorism as an instrument of its foreign and security policy in general and vis-à-vis India in particular. While India decided to upscale its response beyond Uri surgical strikes, the growing disdain of international community at large was evident through media statements with respect to Pakistan’s covert policy of supporting terrorism in India and its neighbours in Afghanistan and Iran. 

On the 4^th Balakot anniversary, it is important to remember that Pakistan remains committed to propagating lies and fabrications despite the many domestic challenges and economic woes at home. Evidently, the Snakes (terrorists) nurtured by them is biting them real hard. However, Pakistan continues with its rhetoric and hate against India as hitherto through malaise Information operation campaigns.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are of the author, and are not associated with DNA English.