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INTRUDERS MAKE BELATED WITHDRAWAL;
INDIA DOES NOT LET UP
Pakistan-backed intruders were seen on
the Indian side of the Line of Control much after the
deadline of withdrawal had passed on 18 July. The army
chief told the armed forces that they should be alert
and should not presume the war had totally ended though
the Indian defence minister had announced it. Earlier,
the Pakistani forces had been given till 16 July to
vacate Indian territory, a deadline they had failed
to meet only to be given an extension by the Indian
government.
The past week saw Pakistan go back on
most of its statements. It admitted that its armed forces
did cross the Line of control; that it was fully aware
of the incursions, and that the bodies it had so far
refused to claim were those of Pakistani soldiers. It,
in fact, has ordered a committee to study the reasons
why Pakistan failed in its media war with India. To
add insult to injury, the International Monetary Fund
has also cancelled a $1.5 billion load to Pakistan.
India on the other hand is going to deploy
its defence forces in the Kashmir border with Pakistan
permanently to prevent repeats. It has consistently
maintained that its victory was due to its better media
management.
Meanwhile, with the war more or less over,
the focus has shifted back to politics and the elections
in September. The major political parties have started
their campaigns to reach out to the electorate. Despite
committing not to do so, they have all started harping
on the Kargil conflict, and are sure to make it an election
plank.
Whether it will work or not only time
will tell, but polls by major publications have revealed
that urban India and business executives are all in
favour of returning the BJP-led government back to power
in the coming elections.
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