Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar – Page 171 – Maj Gen Harsha Kakar (Retd.)

April 22, 2017

Panama papers and Nawaz Sharif’s waterloo: How Pakistan Supreme Court made the PM a pawn DailyO 22 Apr 17

The recent split judgement of the Pakistan Supreme Court giving Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif breathing space by appointing a Joint Investigation Team (JIT), to investigate the Panama papers claims of financial irregularities by him and his family, has changed the strategic scenario in the country. The JIT comprises of members of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), […]

April 19, 2017

Is Delhi losing the Kashmir plot? The Excelsior 19 Apr 17

Two videos, amongst many other similar clips, went viral on social media recently. The first was the manhandling of a CRPF jawan and the second of a stone thrower, tied to an army vehicle. The reactions of the media and politicians depended on whether they were pro or anti- government. It has also resulted in twitter battles between supporters and […]

April 18, 2017

Don’t make an Iraq or Libya out of Syria The Statesman 18 Apr 17

The launching of fifty-nine Tomahawk missiles against the Syrian regime by the US has again brought the region into focus. While the world deplores the use of chemical weapons, there is always a lingering doubt, on who is correct, the US, which blames Syria for the strike or the Russians, who claim it was done by the rebels to malign […]

April 5, 2017

Islamophobia and self-radicalization The Excelsior 05 Apr 17

South Asians being attacked or insulted in different parts of the globe, on racial grounds, is a daily occurrence. Recent reports include incidents in New Zealand, Australia and most commonly the US. The shooting of Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Kansas recently, was a case of the shooter assuming he was targeting Iranians. Similarly, Sikhs have been mistaken for Moslems and targeted. […]

March 28, 2017

Brace yourself for a violent summer The Statesman 28 Mar 17

Afghanistan, India and Pakistan are three states, intrinsically linked, facing varying levels of militancy. Each country blames the other for supporting groups inimical to them. Politically the nations have grown so apart that resolution of any crises appears unlikely. The summer is yet to set in, passes yet to reopen, movement of militants across borders still to commence in earnest, […]

March 10, 2017

Jammu needs to raise its voice The Excelsior 10 Mar 17

J and K is a unique state in the country, almost a nation within a nation. Its three entities, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are each distinct in character and possess no commonality. Jammu, being a major rail and road head, located at the entrance of the state, is a funnel through which all commodities transiting to Kashmir and Ladakh pass. […]

March 7, 2017

Temporary gains likely from new war on terror The Statesman 07 Mar 17

Post terror strikes which killed over a hundred innocents in a week, spread across the country, Pak army announced, with much fanfare, the launch of Operation ‘Rad-ul-Fasaad’, its latest in a series of crackdowns against terror groups across the country. The aim of the operation, as announced by their Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), is ‘indiscriminately eliminating residual and latent […]

March 6, 2017

The tragic consequences of irresponsible, overzealous journalism The Wire 06 Mar 17

The past few months have witnessed a series of media attacks on the army. It began with the present Chief of Army Staff’s (COAS) appointment, moved to the complaint by one jawan of a million plus army and covered the statement made by the COAS on stone throwing and disrupting operations against militants in the valley. Every incident erupted on […]

March 3, 2017

New military doctrine and joint operations The Statesman 03 May 17

The Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), Admiral Sunil Lanba, recently released the new military doctrine in the presence of the other two service chiefs. This doctrine proposes joint training, a unified command and control structure and a tri-service approach for modernization. It also mentions a framework for joint operations across all domains, land, air, sea, space and cyber space. […]

March 1, 2017

Heed the chief’s warning The Excelsior 01 Mar 17

The recent comments by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Bipin Rawat, on stern action against those interrupting anti-militancy operations, led to debates in every form of media, with most liberals, activists and politicians from opposition parties, decrying his comments. Articles in magazines and newspapers adversely commented on his statement, suggesting that this attitude would alienate locals and re-incite […]