The view from ground zero

Decorated Army officer, Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain talks political threats, competition and lays out the real deal

A second-generation Army officer, Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM & BAR, counts two of India’s finest educational institutions – Sherwood College, Nainital, and St Stephen’s College, Delhi – amongst his almae matres. His father was also a General Officer of the Indian Army. This makes his the most decorated Indian Military family to serve the nation.

Peace and conflict resolution being an area of focus for Rotary, Lt General Ata Hasnain’s talk to members was much looked forward to. He spoke on ‘Sino-Pak Collusion and its effect on Jammu and Kashmir’. There is nothing like being fully secure, he said, and it is necessary for Mumbaikars to be aware of national security.

Lt General Hasnain drew attention to national security, Kashmir’s concerns and our neighbours – especially Pakistan. Pakistan, said Lt General Hasnain, is the only country with five civilisations around it – Indian, Chinese, Persian,
Central Asian and Arabian. Each had something or the other to do with Pakistan whether geographically, economically, politically or socially. Hence, the international community was very uncomfortable without Pakistan even though it has suffered radicalism because of it. So, the world looks at it positively because of its strategic geography.

About the Chinese threat, Lt General Hasnain said, China was not an enemy but a competitor. The Indian Navy posed a threat to the maritime traffic of China that operated from the Andaman Nicobar Route; this was why it wanted to keep India’s attention focussed on Eastern Ladakh, Doklam. Known as psychological warfare, this is what won wars without fighting them on the ground. Instead, countries used cyber means, media means etc. Thus, it was a competition from China and a threat from Pakistan.

Moving on to Kashmir and the Siachen Glacier in particular, Lt Gen Hasnain talked about the importance and need of
the Indian Government to spend Rs 4 crore a day. If we lost the territory of the Siachen Glacier, we would not be able to hold the Karakoram Range and that would mean the Indian Army would have to pull back and defend from the Ladakh range, leaving the entire area free for China and Pakistan together.

Pakistan has always looked for the opportunity to take the Siachen Glacier but hasn’t been able to do so till now, especially since Indian soldiers killed the Pakistani at their post in the ’60s. Talking more of the geographic and demographic aspects of Kashmir, Lt General Hasnain explained the complexity of the region.

Talking about Kashmir Valley, he said the way to win a conflict was not always with shooting. One of the best ways, he said, was what a good Rotarian would think of: economics. Filled pockets that would help citizens be happy and content.

SO, WHAT WOULD BE THE AIM?

• To mainstream J&K with the rest of India, politically, socially, economically and psychologically.
• To urge people to be Indian, and think Indian.
• To take the current impasse of internal conflict stabilization to conflict resolution.

Lt General Hasnain talked about the Hearts Doctrine, direct outreach to people facilitating dignity and return to the grassroots politics. Humanization of conflict helped in its resolution. Communication was key to engaging people
institutionally.

WHAT HEREAFTER?

• Speak only from a position of strength.
• Balance hard power with outreach directly to people.
• Bring Jammu into the picture.
• Improve governance.
• Gradually dilute Article 370.
• Improve conditions for return of KPs.
• Work on limiting local recruitment.

Conflict, especially in present times, said Lt General Ata Hasnain, was a hybrid; it was psychological, economic, religious and many things more. There is need to mainstream the held part of Kashmir which would change stance and approach and it is the responsibility of educated Indians to bring this change, said Lt General Ata Hasnain.