20th Anniversary of Kargil Vijay War

20th Anniversary of Kargil Vijay War

Maha Media News Services 26 July 2019

We sleep soundly and remain safe because our soldiers on border are alert and awake. Today on 26 July 2019, India is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the victory of the Indian Armed Forces in Operation Vijay against the infiltrating Pakistani troops.

The anniversary is observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas each year across the country to show respect and gratitude to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives to re-capture all positions that had been seized by Pakistan Army.

On this date in 1999, India successfully took command of the high outposts which had been occupied by Pakistan. The Kargil War was fought for more than 60 days, ended on 26 July and resulted in loss of life on both the sides. According to report, this war led to 527 deaths on India’s side.

No doubt, the Kargil was a unique instance of two nuclear-capable countries facing each other off in a conventional warfare. In the end, the then Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Shariff managed to get the US to intervene diplomatically so as to ensure an absolute end to the conflict.

The present reality is that Pakistan has not learnt any lesson from Kargil War and still believes that any tension in the region would internationalize the Kashmir issue, helping it to secure a speedy resolution. Instead of controlling militants training camp operating on its soil, Pakistan leaves no stone unturned to internationalize Kashmir issue.

But in his recent visit to America, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan made shocking revelation that there are still 30,000 to 40,000 terrorists on Pakistan soil who had fought in Afghanistan and Kashmir. He also came clean that his previous government deceived the US on the issue. “Blaming on then Nawaz Shariff government, Imarn said, “Pakistan did not tell the US exactly the truth on this ground”.

No doubt, It is Imran’s credit that he has accepted that Pakistan shelters terrorists on its soil. Imran’s statement is quite contradicting Pakistan’s traditional stand that it only provides morale and diplomatic support to Kashmiri militants. On other hand, India has always maintained that terrorism in Kashmir is sustained from across the border. Terrorism or war is not solution to resolve any conflict. However, on the 20th anniversary of Kargil Diwas, we must pay tribute to our brave soldiers.