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Pak exploiting our weaknesses: Malik

Retiring Chief of Army Staff General V P Malik has said Pakistan was exploiting India's internal dissension and weaknesses of ethnicity, communal, caste and creed, and corruption to try and weaken the country.

There was an imperative need for a consensus on national security, Malik said in an interview to Asia Defence News International.

Malik stressed three points that needed to be tackled: take care of people's problems so that alienation does not set in, fight militancy along the Line of Control and internally through better intelligence gathering, better co-ordination, and Indian foreign policy must send a clear message to Pakistan that it cannot keep India bleeding and the international community must be made to realise that this ''terrorist state'' business is not doing any good to the world.

''With the kind of proxy war that is going on today, the chances of war are much more than they were 10 years back or even five years back. By and large the nuclear factor stands neutralised today on both sides. Of course, in their case, the button is with one man. In our case, the situation is quite different, but our policies are very clear - we will do it only when they do it. They will not be so stupid... They will do it only when they are really hurt,'' the army chief, who retires on September 30, said.

Underscoring that the overuse of the army in internal security duties must stop, he pointed out that it has come to a point that people are talking about bringing in the army to deal with forest brigand Veerappan. Maintenance of law and order is the primary responsibility of the state governments and it is the responsibility of the police and intelligence agencies.

''The Central Reserve Police Force and Border Security Force need to be revamped. They need better equipment, training and leadership at the junior and senior levels. This tendency to call the army every time for internal security purposes will be extremely damaging.

''The Rashtriya Rifles was set up for low intensity conflicts, to deal with proxy wars. Now people are talking of handing it over to the ministry of home affairs. The Rashtriya Rifles is 100 per cent of armymen. We send our boys to the Rashtriya Rifles for two years after which they return. If they are placed under the command of the police, their operational efficiency and army ethos will be adversely affected,'' Malik said.

He applauded dialogue with the Hizbul Mujahideen and said that he had told the government that there was no alternative. ''You have to speak to them because if the people come to know that we are not wanting to talk to these people, the whole of Jammu and Kashmir's population will be alienated... Initially, Pakistan felt that we may not accept it. Then they developed cold feet and then they went out of their way to stop it.

''These are things you need to be very clear about. Kashmir is not an average Pakistan agenda. Kashmir is basically a Pakistan military agenda. The military in Pakistan, particularly the army, cannot give up the rationale for the status that they have acquired, the position that they have entered politically and economically.''

''The Inter Services Intelligence is part and parcel of the Pakistan army. That machine is controlled and commanded by it. Today you are giving them more credit not because they are more efficient, but because of our problems and weaknesses. They are able to exploit our weaknesses,'' Malik said.

He said the recent upsurge in violence in J&K was temporary. ''But one thing I am sure would have gone home to the people of J&K is that the Government of India's heart is clean. They are prepared to talk. We have been able to show to them our desire to bring about peace and tranquility. So that is a plus point.''

''It will also be clear to the population of J&K that all these people are stooges of the other side, of Pakistan. They are more concerned about including Pakistan in talks. They want freedom and if that were so there is no reason for them to want Pakistan included in the talks. So that is quite evident to everybody in Kashmir,'' Malik said.

He said it was not possible to stop infiltration.

On the home ministry proposal to put up barbed wire from Pathankot, along with other gadgetry like radars, sensors and night vision devices, he said it will be able to check infiltration to a greater extent, but will not be able to eliminate it.

Referring to demands for a restructuring of the defence ministry, he said that for 53 years it consisted only of civilian officials. ''Whatever I suggest has to be processed by them. I am responsible to the man on the ground. If he doesn't have the weapons he tells me: 'Sir, what is this you are asking me to do'. Now when I ask the same thing from the ministry, he doesn't have the same sense of accountability or urgency.

''In the earlier days, there used to be a single file system. Anyone's remarks would go up to the minister. Now, you have a double file system. Our remarks are kept in a file and their remarks are kept in another file and I don't get to know, the army headquarters or the service headquarters do not know. What is the rationale? Therefore, there is no alternative to integration of the ministry of defence and the service headquarters for better responses, better understanding and for cost-effectiveness,'' Malik said.

On the appointment of an appellate tribunal to handle cases of disgruntlement over promotions in the armed forces, the chief of staff indicated that there was a difference of opinion over whether the findings of the tribunal will go directly to the Supreme Ccourt or be referred to the high court.

UNI

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