It is unfortunately always after a terrorist incident that wisdom dawns on our government. Consistent with this, the Home Minister, Defence Minister and the Defence brass met after the Pathankot incident to take stock and review security arrangements around defence establishments. There is nothing wrong in reviewing existing arrangements. But at the same time should not the prevailing security at our defence establishments been more effective?
This is also not the first time that terror groups have attacked our defence establishments since over the years many of our military and para-military bases and camps in Kashmir have been hit. So where has been the preparedness?
We also have been seeing many a time the Defence spokespersons and the minister saying that we are ready and prepared to meet any kind of threat. In that case why is it that each time a terror attack takes place our preparedness is shown up to be full of holes akin to a sieve. Otherwise at a forward air base like at Pathankot how can terrorists breach the perimeter and that too after acknowledging that prior intelligence was received about the attack.
If based on this information, as claimed, the assets at the base, like fighter jets were moved out but was the elementary aspect of intensive perimeter patrolling of the base neglected? Otherwise how could not one, not two but six terrorists get into the base?
Some serious thinking has to go into our security arrangements to meet terrorist threats across all targets around the country. At Pathankot six terrorists were killed but we lost more of our people. This does not speak highly of the skill and ability of our forces to intercept and hunt down terrorists.
Further while combing operations were being completed at Pathankot another senior officer of the bomb disposal squad was saved from being killed since he was pulled aside at the last minute from stepping on a booby trapped grenade as reported in the papers. Our personnel in such front-line jobs facing terror should be drilled to have more discipline and follow due processes rather than exhibit bravado.
All in all one feels it is time that the National Terrorism Response Centre (NTRC) is set up so that in the event of any terror attack the job of tackling the terrorists is given to specialised personnel like the NSG and the other authorities at the place of the terror even if they are the defence personnel reporting to the NSG or the NTRC officials.
Let the Pathankot incident not go the way like the others have gone in the past, long in talk of preventive measures but nothing done on the ground which fact is proven when the next terror attack takes place.
