Pakistani army admitted its participation in Kargil war for the first time after 25 years, what did Army Chief Munir say
The Pakistani Army has for the first time publicly acknowledged its participation in the 1999 Kargil war against India. Speaking at an event organised on the occasion of Pakistan’s Defence Day, Army Chief General Asim Munir honoured Pakistani soldiers killed in wars with India. This includes Pakistani soldiers killed in the Kargil war. However, before today, the Pakistani Army has been avoiding accepting its direct participation in the Kargil war. After retiring, the then Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf had admitted his mistakes regarding the Kargil war.
What did the Pakistani Army Chief say
General Munir said, “The Pakistani community is a community of brave people who understand the importance of freedom and how to pay for it. Whether it is 1948, 1965, 1971 or the 1999 Kargil war, thousands of soldiers sacrificed their lives for the country and Islam.” This is being considered the first confession of the Pakistani Army in the last 25 years. Before this, no general of the Pakistani army had given such a clear statement about the Kargil war while in office.
What was Pakistan’s official position?
This statement is different from Pakistan’s long-standing official statement. Pakistan has been claiming from the beginning that Kashmiri militants were involved in the Kargil war, whom it calls Mujahideen. Due to this, it also refused to take the bodies of its soldiers killed in the Kargil war. After which India cremated the Pakistani soldiers with full military honors.
Pakistan had infiltrated Kargil
In the summer of 1999, the Pakistani army deceitfully captured India’s posts. At that time, the armies of both the countries used to leave their posts at high altitudes and go down in the cold season. But, later India came to know that Pakistani soldiers were sitting on the high peaks of Kargil. After this, India started military action and drove away the Pakistani army. The Indian Army’s operation resulted in a humiliating defeat for Pakistan, forcing US President Bill Clinton to order the withdrawal of Indian Army troops from the Kargil sector.