Pakistan Army’s Rare Acknowledgement Of Role In 1999 Kargil War: ‘Thousands Of Martyrs Gave Sacrifices For…’

Pakistan's army chief acknowledges the army's involvement in the 1999 Kargil war in a rare instance after Islamabad had asserted that only private "freedom fighters" were involved.

In a rare public acknowledgement, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Asim Munir, has recognised the involvement of the Pakistan Army in the 1999 Kargil war. General Munir made this statement while addressing the Defence and Martyrs Day event in Rawalpindi on Friday, marking a significant shift in the narrative surrounding the conflict.

During his speech, General Munir emphasised the Pakistani Army's role in defending the nation, citing various conflicts with India, including the Kargil War. "Indeed, the Pakistani nation is a courageous and bold nation, which understands best the importance of independence and how to protect it at any price. Whether the Pak-India wars of 1948, 1965, 1971 and Kargil or the Siachen conflict, thousands of martyrs gave sacrifices for the security and honour of the country," Munir stated, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The Kargil war, which brought India and Pakistan to the brink of a nuclear confrontation in 1999, has long been a contentious issue between the two nations. The conflict ended with India recapturing the border posts occupied by Pakistani infiltrators. India commemorates this victory annually as Vijay Diwas on 26 July. While India claims a decisive victory, Pakistan had initially distanced itself from the conflict, asserting that only private "freedom fighters" were involved. However, the scale of the fighting soon revealed that the armies of both nations were engaged in direct combat.

In his address, General Munir also stressed the importance of national unity, stating that Pakistan would "not allow political differences to turn into hatred." He affirmed that the strong relationship between the army and the public would serve as a foundation to defeat any enemy attempting to create rifts between the two. "The relation between the armed forces and the nation is of heart," Munir said, adding that the nation has always strengthened the army in all fields, including "rescue works in the events of natural disasters, foreign hostilities, or war against terrorism."

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, top military officials, senior government representatives, and families of soldiers, among others.

Ex-Pak Prez Pervez Musharraf's Admission On Kargil War In 2006 Memoir

This acknowledgement follows a similar admission by former Pakistan Army Chief Pervez Musharraf in his 2006 book, In The Line Of Fire. Musharraf, who was the army chief during the Kargil war, disclosed that the Northern Light Infantry was deployed in the Kargil theatre of war. Following the conflict, Pakistan honoured Captain Karnal Sher Khan of the 27th Battalion, Sind Regiment, and Havaldar Lalak Jan of the Northern Light Infantry with the Nishan-e-Haider, the country’s highest gallantry award.