Pahalgam attack was well-planned, intelligence missed it: Lt Gen Hooda

Security force personnel stand guard at the site of Pahalgam attack (Reuters)

Thirty-six hours after the Baisaran, Pahalgam terror attack in Srinagar that saw 26 deaths, India announced a series of measures against Pakistan, key among them were the suspension of the Indus-Water Treaty that governs the Indus river water sharing and the immediate suspension of visas to Pakistan nationals. This means that any Pakistani national visiting India must leave in the next 48 hours. Experts on India-Pakistan affairs think India has been much more upfront in its approach vis-a-vis Pakistan ever since PM Narendra Modi became the PM. There isn't any space for manoeuvring, covert campaigning, etc – therefore, surgical strikes after the Uri attack, Balakot strikes after the Pulwama attack, and a noticeable decline in terror activities. But will we go down that road is the question many are asking.

Pahalgam terror attack: Live updates

Lt Gen DS Hooda, former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command, and who was the Northern Army Commander during the surgical strikes in September 2016, spoke to Shamsher Chandel post-Pahalgam terror attack.

What are the options India has after the Pahalgam terror attack against Pakistan, given that the BJP-led NDA is known to go for an all-out aggressive approach?

Well, diplomacy is there, and military options, of course. But we haven’t had smooth diplomatic relations with Pakistan for quite some time. So, I am not sure how diplomatic channels would work. Military options are there. But the ‘what and how of it’ has to be devised and strategised. Of course, the terrorists would be nabbed; it is just a matter of time. Apart from that, we will have to wait and watch. As far as economic sanctions are concerned, there isn’t much in terms of economic linkages between the two countries.

Can Pakistan be called out or isolated internationally?

We have tried that in the past. India went to the UN to designate a 26/11 accused as a 'global terrorist', but China blocked our move. Otherwise, internationally, Pakistan is known to have a dubious reputation.

Do you think we faltered in our intelligence that led to the Pahalgam attacks?

Of course, intelligence failure was there. The J&K DGP’s statement sometime back that at least 100 terrorists had infiltrated from the Jammu side should remind us of that. That obviously should have had us on our toes. On whether such tourism spots should have a presence of troops is difficult to say. Every inch of the territory cannot be guarded.

Don’t you think our whole focus had shifted to the Jammu region, and we were caught napping in the Valley?

Yes, there was a lot of terrorist activity happening in the Jammu region. And some local support would definitely have been there. After all, terrorists coming from Pakistan to Pahalgam and then moving back, it couldn’t have happened without the presence of sleeper cells. I am not saying all the locals are with them, but locals who are radicalised overground workers would be there to help them.

So it must have been a well-planned operation?

Absolutely. They knew that the Pahalgam, Baisaran trail is at least an hour’s trek, and it would take some time for the help to arrive after the terror attack. They would have kept all of that in mind before killing the innocent tourists.

You know the place so well, being the Northern Army Commander, would someone like you think of visiting such a place for a holiday? Is it safe for the tourists?

Well, the number of terror incidents has seen a noticeable decline. And generally, people thought that terrorists didn’t target tourists except during the Amarnath Yatra, since tourism bolsters the state’s economy, which is why locals immediately came out in protest against this dastardly act. Now that this has happened, tourism will take a hit.

The locals were agitated after the terror attack. What do you have to say about it?

Obviously, tourism will take a hit, and the locals won’t like it. So in that sense, this terror attack has done damage to the locals and the terrorist organisations as well.