Book on fake Indian surgical strikes launched

ISLAMABAD: ‘India’s Surgical Strike Stratagem, Brinksmanship and Response’ authored by Professor Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal was launched at the School of Politics and International Relations (SPIR) Quaid-i-Azam University here on Tuesday.

The panelists included Director General of the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute Dr Maria Sultan and Air Commodore (R) Khalid Banuri and former head of the Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs at the Strategic Plans Division, while QAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Muhammad Ali was the chief guest on the occasion, where members of academia, dignitaries, and young scholars were in attendance.

Prof Jaspal, an expert on global politics, nuclear proliferation, and national security, said he had conceived the book’s idea after the first sham surgical strike of India in 2016.

He said India’s mantra of surgical strikes was very perilous since a surgical strike between two nuclear armed states was an unprecedented and rather a never occurred situation.

“This Indian mantra has catastrophic bearings for the region. I offer a fresh perspective (on the matter) that is not based on rhetoric but legal and international underpinnings,” he said.

The writer termed India’s farcical surgical strikes phantom and said the current Modi government amidst domestic imperatives and growing turmoil on Kashmir was trying to distract the attention of the international community.

VC Prof Muhammad Ali praised the writer for coming up with an objective research account of an issue, which has been much propagated by Indian government and researchers alike.

He complimented the book as a symbol of evolving strategic thought on the matters of regional security and ramification of the standoff between two nuclear arch-rivals.

“India continues to plan the facade of fake strikes to divert the attention of the world community from Kashmir issue and atrocities being committed by its troops on innocent Kashmiris,” he said.

Dr Muhammad Ali also highlighted the importance of research and education for a vibrant and progressive society. He appreciated the SPIR for organising the book launch.

Dr Maria Sultan highlighted various facets of regional security and Indian hegemonic postures and Indian reliance on fake terrorists attack to divert the attention of the world away from Kashmir issue and also for vested political interests.

She appreciated the objective account by Prof Jaspal on the issue of alleged surgical strike.

Khalid Banuri praised Prof Jaspal for his hard work and thoroughly researched account to off balance the Indian propaganda of so-called surgical strikes.

SPIR Director Professor Nazir Hussain said Indian Army was notorious for orchestrating fake encounters and blaming Pakistan for conducting the phony attack.

He highlighted Indian hegemonic designs in the region and their ramification on regional security. He also shed light on the contributions of SPIR in the field of education and research.