THERE was never an iota of doubt as to what actually happened in the May war between Pakistan and India but the report submitted to the US Congress has affixed stamp on Pakistan’s victory and will be cited by historians as a neutral but authentic reference for the four day conflict between two South Asian neighbours.
The report of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission has highlighted Pakistan’s “military success” during the war, crediting the outcome to the deployment of advanced Chinese weaponry. According to the document, “Pakistan’s military success over India in its four-day clash showcased Chinese weaponry,” noting that Beijing’s latest air-defence systems and fighter aircraft saw combat use for the first time. In a related development, President Donald Trump on Wednesday stated that he actually stopped eight wars including the one which was about to restart between Pakistan and India.
The eye-opening report will surely help raise Pakistan’s image, reputation and credibility on global level as it acknowledges the country’s armed forces performed excellently and defeated a much bigger enemy. This is not the only confirmation of the war accounts narrated by Pakistan as dozens of other regional and international sources and institutions viewed Pakistan’s claims as credible. However, this is for the first time that a comprehensive account of the war has officially been presented to the US Congress including the role of the Chinese weaponry during the conflict. The May clash was the first time China’s modern weapons systems, including the HQ-9 air defence system, PL-15 air-to-air missiles and J-10 fighter aircraft, were used in active combat, serving as a real-world field experiment. It also stated that China reportedly offered to sell 40 J-35 fifth-generation fighter jets, KJ-500 aircraft and ballistic missile defence systems to Pakistan in June, a natural move by Islamabad to strengthen its defence in the backdrop of unending threats and warnings both by civil and military leadership of India. Pakistan’s concerns about its security are not baseless if viewed in the context of Indian designs and confirmation by President Donald Trump that he also averted an imminent war between Pakistan and India after the May conflict. The report submitted to the US Congress and the latest statement of President Trump have further exposed India’s falsehood vis-à-vis Pakistan and accounts of the war as well as its aggressive posture against Pakistan despite repeated offers of Islamabad for resolution of the differences and disputes through peaceful means. The report must have come as a big shock for the Indian media and people, who were obviously hoodwinked by the propaganda campaign launched by the Indian Government to hide true accounts of the war and hesitation to confirm losses. It is now globally confirmed that as against dastardly attacks of India against civilian targets in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, Pakistan responded by attacking 109 military targets in India afflicting unbearable losses on India. It was swiftness, precision and comprehensive nature of the Pakistani response that India’s pride in its military strength and superiority dashed to the ground, forcing its leadership to send SOS to different world capitals beseeching ceasefire. And the lessons they got might have served as one of the factors in preventing another war as has been stated by the US President. The statement of President Trump also shows the public posture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi about mediation notwithstanding, India is amenable to US intervention. The US report is also an acknowledgement that the Chinese weapons and systems are credible and effective as Pakistan used them in a highly professional manner to inflict the desired harm on the enemy. Therefore, Pakistan must continue to forge both economic and military cooperation with China in the interest of the country’s defence and economy.
