Pakistan accepts army involvement in Kargil War for the first time
Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir accepted that it was involved in the 1999 Kargil War on Saturday, reported Pakistani news channel G News Network. Lt Gen (retd) Shahid Aziz, Musharraf, Nawaz Sharif had accepted involvement, but not when they were in office.
Munir was speaking at an event on the occasion of Pakistan Army Day. He said that the Pakistani army had given tough fight to its enemies over the years. «Be it 1948, 1965, 1971 or 1999 Kargil Pakistan-India wars, thousands of Shuhadas have sacrificed their life for the country and nation,» he said, adding that sacrifices continued even today.
Munir said that the Pakistani army was brave and knew the importance and the cost of independence
The Kargil War ignited when Pakistani infiltrators crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and seized key positions in Ladakh's Kargil district. Initially reported as jihadis on May 3, 1999, the infiltrators were soon identified as Pakistani military personnel. Over the following weeks, Indian forces faced heavy casualties as they worked to reclaim these strategic positions. By July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced the complete withdrawal of Pakistani troops, marking the end of the conflict. The official toll for India included 527 soldiers killed, 1,363 wounded, and Flight Lieutenant K Nachiketa was the lone prisoner of war.
Kargil's extreme altitude posed severe challenges. Located approximately 200 km northeast of Srinagar and 230 km west of Leh, Kargil town sits at 2,676 meters (8,780 feet), Dras at 3,300 meters
