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The Lt General K S Brar Chat

General Sir I am sure that I was one of the really fortunate few civilians who got an opportunity to visit the captured territories all the way upto the outskirts of Lahore. In fact from the watch tower you could see buildings in Lahore. (I think it was in the summer of '72). What was the real reason that we let it all go back without forcing Pakistan to vacate occupied Kashmir in exchange?

I said you were first rate officers. My father (ex-Indian army) thinks highly of you and gen Sunderji. However, trhe fact is all three of you goofed. Whether it was the result of lousy planning or just carelessness we don't know. He says Bulbul Brar's book is not very lucid on the subject either!

Atul: Had we advanced on Lahore, the Americans and perhaps the Chinese would not have kept quiet. As it is those darn fools Nixon and Kissinger though we were hll bent on destroying Pakistan. Indira Gandhi showed considerable savvy in not dismembering West Pakistan. Am I right general?

Pakistan's ISI has ensured that we will never again fight a war with Pakistan once again without fifth columnists in our midst. Do you think we can win a war on the Kashmir front with our troops being tied down by local insurgents?

Balraman: As you know, we are not a nuclear weapons state but have the capability of becoming one, having carried out nuclear tests. We would like to avoid nuclearising our armoury at all costs, fully realising what death and destruction such weapons can cause. At the same time, it would be imprudent on our part to live in the hope that Pakistan would not develop its nuclear arsenal and at some point of time use it against us. There is evidence to suggest that Pakistan already has a nuclear weapon and there is no doubt that China is a nuclear power. Therefore, to have a nuclear threat either in the near future or in the long term from any or both of our flanks and remain idle about it would be catastrophic. There is therefore a need to keep our options open and as long as we do not resort to a first strike but have the capability to launch a second strike on any adversary who hits us first, the detterance would suffice. This needs to be made clear to our neighbours and our leadership needs to bear in mind the need for our keeping our nuclear options open.

Pakistan's ISI has ensured that we will never again fight a war with Pakistan once again without fifth columnists in our midst. Do you think we can win a war on the Kashmir front with our troops being tied down by local insurgents?

Ram: We had no intentions of occupying West Pakistan. In fact, we would have avoided war on the Western Front totally if the choice had been ours. But it was forced on us by Pakistan and we were left with no other options. The very fact that we proposed a ceasefire on the western front after the fall of Dacca is evidence enough of the fact that we had no ambitions of securing Pakistani territory, leave aside taking Lahore.

It must be very late in India. Good night!

I am sorry if I offended you.

Thank you, General, for all your kindness. God be with you. Good night!

You must be very high on the hit-list. I think it is courageous for you to participate in a forum like this one. Are you logged in from your home? And do you have a retinue of guards like our PM?

Balraman: As regards your question, about our not being able to fight a future war with Pakistan because of its ISI sponsored fifth columnists operating against us within the local population, I feel you are unnecessarily worried. No doubt, fifth columnists operating in the area of opertions are a hinderance but these can be dealt with by the combined effort of loyal local citizens and paramilitary forces operating behind the regular forces. I feel therefore there should be no cause for worry on this count.

Thanks for answering my questions Gen. Brar. Goodnight

Balraman: Once one dons the uniform, one must be prepared to face the world with courage and not run away from realities that face you. I do not feel guilty of anything which a soldier can be held responsible for. And, therefore, I feel it unnecessary to shy away from everyday life. There is no question of my having the type of security that the Prime Minister has. As long as I have your good wishes, I feel it is enough.

Sir, I salute you! Your courage, your honesty. Thank you for being so frank. Good night.

Atul: It has never been our intention to take back territory by means of force as there are other means of doing so bilaterally through mutual talks and considerations. As so many years have gone by, I feel matters should be allowed to get resolved peacefully, with a little give and take on both sides. I can assure you we have no ambitions or desire to capture Lahore or destroy Pakistan just because that country is in possession of some territory which we consider to be ours in Kashmir.

lt General, your friendship with Frederick Forsyth has been much written about... could you tell us something about this next book of his, which we believe you are helping him with?

I've enjoyed answering your questions and interacting with you in the chat show. And I end with the hope that this world of ours ushers in an era of peace and that it will not be long before a nuclear-weapons disappear from the face of the earth so that humanity can survive without fear. With best regards...

Thank you very much General. Jai Hind. Let me rake this opportunity to request all Indians to donate generously towards the Andhra Cyclone Relief Fund and in times of any such calamities which might (God forbid) befall India in future.

Thank you very much General. Jai Hind. Let me rake this opportunity to request all Indians to donate generously towards the Andhra Cyclone Relief Fund and in times of any such calamities which might (God forbid) befall India in future.