Pahalgam terror attack: Someone in Pakistan called India's steps 'childish'. Time to show who's the father | military options, listed

Pahalgam terror attack - India's military options against 'terror sponsor' Pakistan: India will identify, track and punish those behind the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 27 innocent civilians in Kashmir, vowed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (Apr 24). His speech came hours after India issued a slew of non-military measures to cut down ties with Pakistan, including the halt of the Indus water sharing treaty. A former Pakistani minister described these measures as 'childish'. What that ex-minister fears, and India awaits, is a much stronger Indian military response against Pakistan. What are India's options? And what do past responses to Pakistani betrayal and Pakistan-fomented terrorism indicate? Here is a roundup of what happened in the past, and what could/should happen next.

PM Modi's warning to terrorists and their backers

 At least 27 people, mostly tourists from different states of India were shot dead in the deadliest attack on civilians since the Mumbai terror strike of 2008. In his first public speech since the Apr 22 attack, Modi said in Bihar that India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism, adding every terrorist and their backers will be punished.

"We will pursue them to the ends of the earth," he said.

"India will identify, track and punish the Pahalgam perpetrators. Every effort will be made to ensure justice is done," Modi said, while thanking every nation that stood by India in condemning terrorism.

India's five punishments to Pakistan

Modi was speaking hours after India announced steps to downgrade its relations with Pakistan. The steps announced after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security on Wednesday were:

How Pakistan responded to India's measures

On Thursday, just around the time Modi was speaking, Pakistan called India's move on the Indus Waters treaty an 'act of war' and warned that it has the right to suspend all treaties, including the Simla pact.

It also took reciprocal measures on closing the border post, asking Indians in the country to leave, suspending visas (except for Sikh pilgrims), and reducing diplomatic presence as well as declaring military advisors persona non grata. Pakistan has also closed its airspace to Indian airlines. It halted trade, directly with India or passing through Pakistan.

Earlier, former information and technology minister Fawad Chaudhry called India's measures childish. In a social media post, he said: "India under international law cannot put Indian Basin treaty in abeyance, it will be gross violation of treaty law, this childish decision will effect only poor farmers  of Punjab and Sindh."

He added: "If attacked or threatened by India, all groups—PML-N, PPP, PTI, JUI, and others—will rally together under the Pakistani flag to defend our homeland." 

How India has responded militarily to Pakistan in the past

Chaudhry's remarks are symptomatic of the cycle of Pakistan's attitude towards terrorism: support, reject responsibility, and then dismiss India. It is time to remind Pakistan that its creation is from the Partition of India. It is time to remind who the parent, and who the child is.

In the past, India has responded militarily to Pakistan's betrayals, including cross-border infiltration and Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

'Act of War': Pakistan copies India's diplomatic actions after Pahalgam attack, suspends trade, warns to end Simla Agreement

In 1999, even as India and Pakistan were talking peace, the Kargil War happened as a consequence of cross-border infiltration of terrorists, supported by regular Pakistani soldiers. India's Operation Vijay was successful, with around 4,000 casualties for Pakistan, both soldiers and terrorists, after a weeks-long high-altitude battle. 

On 13 December, 2001, Pakistan-backed terrorists attacked the Indian Parliament. India conducted Operation Parakram, a massive mobilisation of 500,000 troops along the India-Pakistan border. But it did not lead to a war despite being the largest such mobilisation since the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.

Pakistan was forced to ban Jaish-e-Mohammed, one of the terror groups involved in the attack, while the other, Laskar e Taiba (LeT), continued to thrive and orchestrated the Pahalgam attack.

On 29 September 2016, Pakistan-based terrorists attacked an army installation in Uri, killing 19 Indian soldiers. India responded with a surgical Strike, the first of its kind. The cross-border attack targetted terror training camps and launching pads across the Indian border, with Indian commandos going up to three kilometres into the Pakistani territory and killing terrorists. 

In spite of this, Pakistan-based terrorists did not keep quiet. In 2019, a suicide bombing on a vehicle carrying Indian paramilitary troops killed at least 40 people. India did yet another surgical strike, this time using its air force, inside Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunhwa province, targeting Jaish-e-Mohammad training camps. Pakistan retaliated, leading to a dogfight that resulted in India downing an F-16 fighter jet, which had been given to Pakistan by the US. 

Pahalgam terror attack: India suspends Indus Waters treaty, what is it and how will it affect Pakistan

Indian air force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by Pakistan, but under intense pressure, he was released by the then government of Imran Khan.

What should India's response be after Pahalgam? Options that should be on the table

While several terror figures have been killed by unidentified assailants, and conspirators jailed and extradited, the new generation does not have the patience to wait for decades for justice to be served.

Conventional, asymmetrical warfare can have only a limited effect. 

Diplomatic punishments are not new for Pakistan.

It is time to end this menace, once and for all.

Maximum, continuous pressure

Indian government should exert maximum, continuous military pressure on Pakistan. A war cabinet that includes opposition leaders, making them the stakeholders, should not be ruled out, given that India is united behind its leaders across party divides.

India has the option to withdraw from the non-agression treaties related to nuclear war. India has strictly adhered to no first use, but it has not paid any great dividends. Such a withdrawal is possibly a better deterrent for Pakistan.

Sorties of planes, drone surveillance, and military presence on all borders

India should start constant monitoring of Pakistan over air, land and sea.

It can involve moving Indian Navy assets to the northwestern seas.

Pahalgam terror attack: What is Simla Agreement that Pakistan threatened to withdraw from amid rising tensions?

The Northern Command can move missiles and missile defence systems and place them close to the border on the upper reaches of India-Pakistan border. 

Drones as well as manned and unmanned aircraft can constantly do surveillance sorties along the border.

This will keep the terrorists and their backers on tenterhooks. 

Find, eliminate terrorists in their homes and camps

India has to declare that it is in a state of war with Pakistan, instead of trying to adhere to the 2021 ceasefire along the Line of Control, which has been constantly violated by Pakistan in any case.

More airstrikes and cruise missile strikes should be the norm, not selective.

Whenever needed, Indian forces should go into both Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and Pakistan to eliminate terror camps and terrorists.

'Time to finish...': PM Modi vows to pursue terrorists 'to end of earth' after Pahalgam terror attack alarms nation

The Indian Army should be mobilised to all key installations in Kashmir.

All tourist destinations should be given security cover by Indian armed forces, so that more tourists can go to Kashmir. Tourism and terrorism cannot mix, and the Army and paramilitary forces should ensure this.