Act of War

CommandEleven
Paper
November 2016
 Act of War

2016, CommandEleven. All rights reserved.

For more information about receiving this, or other CommandEleven analysis

documents, please visit http://www.commandeleven.com/.

REPORT AUTHOR

Act of War was researched, compiled and written by Lt. General Tariq Khan
(Retired), head of our Board of Advisors and Senior Analyst.

ABOUT COMMANDELEVEN

CommandEleven is a research organization focused on Pakistans national

security aspects and enhancing global understanding and collaboration
opportunities for the nation.

Founded in 2015, CommandEleven provides situational awareness to facilitate a

better understanding of the key dynamics that effect Pakistan from a national
security perspective, especially in relation to terrorism, insurgencies and
extremism.

CommandEleven seeks to inform and guide public policy and decision makers in
government, business and military through a rigorous program of publications,
conferences, digital medias, policy briefings and recommendations.

Visit http://commandeleven.com for more information or contact

info@commandeleven.com.
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A CommandEleven Paper

What I am going to write here is neither politically correct nor diplomatically

proper. Also, that whatever views I am going to express are mine and must not be
associated with the institution I belong to or the country that I am a national of.
Besides, what I write should not be lumped with my attitude when I was in service
since the environment I am going to address is a new phenomenon that did not
exist then.

Baluchistan is in the throes of terrorism. This terrorism is not indigenous nor a

product of grievances. It is an outcome of an Achakzai and Rasik collaboration at
the behest of RAW. Its nature and character is to attack soft targets and cause
mass murder. Its purpose is to destabilize the region with a view to scuttle CPEC.
The manner of activity is likely to soon expand to Gilgit-Baltistan with the same
objective. In the former case the projection of conflict is based on an alleged but
utterly false Baluchistan Separatist Movement and evolves around accusations of
human rights against the Government. In the latter, it will be inspired by artificially
raising sectarian strife. The mayhem is likely to grow in magnitude with an
international appeal to intervene through the United Nations. While this blatant
act of terrorism is applied against Pakistan, India will continue to engage Pakistan
all along the Line of Control play-acting that it is undertaking strikes against
terrorist camps, routes and launch pads. In the meanwhile, Afghanistan will
continue to project hostility and demand border concessions, they will not agree
to demarcation nor to sealing the border but will continue to accuse Pakistan of
cross border terrorism. They will allow TTP to live in safe havens in Kunar and
under the Coalitions watch facilitate, fund and resource violence against Pakistan.

The world will buy these stories, Pakistan will be accused of aiding and abetting
the violence in Kashmir of scuttling the peace process in Afghanistan, of gross
human rights violations in Baluchistan, sectarian violence against the Shia
community and harboring non-state actors against everyone in
the neighborhood. A nuclear Pakistan becoming a failed State labelled as the
most dangerous country in the world.

Pakistan has no narrative, presents no case and does nothing at any level to
clarify its position. Any accusations against India are taken as business as usual.
That a colonel, Kulbashan was captured as a unique precedence holds no water
for the world. We have no diplomatic recourse, no political body to turn to, no
agreements or treaties that are binding and no bi-lateral way forward. What
should Pakistan do, who can it complain to and where should it go?

With no one in the world willing to hear us out, no one willing to validate our
narrative or reject it through an international fact finding mission, with callous
indifference to our situation and criminal silence as we are subjected to such
blatant and covert terrorism on a daily basis the bias and prejudice against
Pakistan is conspicuous. It appears that India is accumulating brownie points
every time it attacks a post or fires across the border. Pakistan is expected to take
all this in, not complain or inconvenience the world by its meaningless
accusations.

Well then what are Pakistans responses if it is not to succumb to terrorism,

disruption, instability and international indifference? They are limited. It could
define an Act of War and then respond to such an act against itself through overt

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 Act of War

conventional measures by undertaking military strikes likely to escalate to war and

lead to a probable nuclear exchange. Alternatively, it can undertake covert
operations and pay the Indians back in the same coin. In my opinion, there is no
guaranteed defense against terrorist activity except equitable terror. State
sponsored terrorism must lead to a response where the State initiating
such violence is effectively engaged in the same manner. My recommendations:

1. Any terrorist activity or physical hostility from Afghanistan would be treated as

an Act of War. The response would be a fire raid on Kabul and Bagram through
missile attacks. Deploy and ready launchers for such a strike
2. Long range strikes against Fazlullah group in Kunar to commence till he is
handed over.
3. For every Indian/RAW inspired terrorist act, at least three similar acts on a
greater scale to be undertaken in the Indian main land.
4. Any cross-border firing should lead to offensive concentration of Strike
Formations with a view to severing the Madhupur-Jammu Road before the
Indians can even mobilize.
Such a posture will scare many and even subject us to sanctions but enough is
enough. Every two-bit country cannot just come and kick us around. We have
nothing to lose, its another word for freedom. We are free to do whatever we
need to do for our survival. Besides there is no other alternative.

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A CommandEleven Paper

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lieutenant General (retired) Tariq Khan is an erudite general from Pakistan's

Armored Corps and a decorated War Veteran, regularly speaking on critical issues
related to Terrorism & Insurgencies. Gen Tariq Khan during the Battle of Bajaur,
transformed and re-shaped Frontier Corps into a relentless fighting force and
raised FC's own special forces popularly known as SOG. He commanded and led
major operations in FATA from the frontline, his model on counter-insurgency is
still applied to this day.

ABOUT COMMANDELEVEN

CommandEleven is a research organization focused on Pakistans national

security aspects and enhancing global understanding and collaboration
opportunities for the nation.

Founded in 2015, CommandEleven provides situational awareness to facilitate a

better understanding of the key dynamics that effect Pakistan from a national
security perspective, especially in relation to terrorism, insurgencies and
extremism.

CommandEleven seeks to inform and guide public policy and decision makers in
government, business and military through a rigorous program of publications,
conferences, digital medias, policy briefings and recommendations.

Visit http://commandeleven.com for more information or contact

info@commandeleven.com.