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Kargil operation was big success, Pakistan lost because of Sharif: Musharraf

Pakistan’s former army chief and president Parvez Musharraf. File Pic
Pakistan’s former army chief and president Parvez Musharraf. File Pic

Pakistan’s former army chief General Parvez Musharraf has said that Kargil operation in 1999 was big success  militarily for the country and Pakistan lost because of country’s then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Islamabad, Jan 31/Nationalturk- After recent allegations by former senior Pakistan army officer that Kargil operation in 1999 was a ‘misadventure’ and ‘failure’, Pakistan’s then army chief General Parvez Musharraf has justified Kargil operation by saying that Kargil operation was big success  militarily and Pakistan lost because of country’s then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“We lost the Kargil war, which was a big success militarily because of then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,” Musharraf told Pakistan TV channel Express News last evening.

Musharraf was Pakistan’s army chief when Kargil war took place between India and Pakistan in 1999.

He said had Nawaz Sharif not visited the United States, Pakistan would have conquered 300 square miles of India. “I would not go so far as to accuse Nawaz Sharif of betrayal but his decision to withdraw from Kargil was a mistake. Nawaz lost a political front which we had won militarily,” he said.

Musharraf, who overthrew Nawaz’s government and became president before relinquishing post in 2008,  said the Kargil operation was not a major operation but a localized one.

“Kargil was just one of many sectors all under a major general stationed in Gilgit, in charge of the area. Exchange of fire was routine there. The prime consideration of such actions like Kargil adventure is security and secrecy, so the army leadership decides who is to be informed and when. As the operation progressed and the proper time arrived, a briefing of the corps commanders was also held,” he said.

‘Pakistan lost 270 soldiers, India 1600 troopers’

Referring to Pakistani casualties during the Kargil war, Musharraf said that Pakistan lost only 270 men against India’s 1,600 soldiers.

When asked to comment on the accusation of Shahid Aziz, he said, “I am really astonished that Lt Gen Shahid Aziz is writing about this 10 years later. Blaming the nation at this juncture of time, as Lt Gen (retd) Shahid has done, seems to be part of a conspiracy”.

“It was a tactical action that had a strategic importance in which no more than a few hundred persons were involved, but which engaged thousands on the Indian side and was of tremendous importance,” he said.

Mushharraf said he felt Shahid Aziz had an imbalanced personality and has resorted to character assassination by making these accusations.

 

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News 

 

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