War is not only fought on the battle fields. The
preparations for an attack or the defence strategies are constantly framed, and
modified according to the moves of the oppositions. Espionage helps collect data strategizing.
Knowing the moves of opposition beforehand has changed the course of the war,
and hence paving way for a restructuring in geographies. History has witnessed
valiant espionage efforts during both the world wars. Even the encounters of
agency like Mossad have been laudable. Israeli forces banked upon Mossad to
stamp their authority over the Arabs in wars since 1948.
Unlike the agencies of other states, very few facts about
India’s premier intelligence agency RAW is known. Books and declassified
records of such intelligence modus operandi are slowly surfacing nowadays. The
book “The Kaoboys of R & AW” opened up a pandora’s box.
Spy stories are interesting, even romantic. Although not as
dramatic as shown in movies, the heroics throw the common man in awe.
The 1965 war was incomplete in terms of resolution of issues
and it was always evident that another war was always just around the corner.
Both the sides were eager to lock their horns. East Pakistan was a troubled
state with authoritarian rule of West Pakistan, and did not have a significant
representation in the parliament. The Army feared the popularity of Mujib
Ur-Rehman and tried hard to suppress his political ambitions. India sensed an
opportunity to fragment the enemy and create a friendly state. This would
ensure that only one side of the border was a burning frontier.
The pre-preparations for the 1971 war involved one such
remarkable incident, unknown to many. It was a shrewd ‘Vazir Chaal’ by Smt.
Indira Gandhi to stamp her authority in the political circles of South Asia and
also fortify her chair back home. She seemed to have taken a leaf out of the Six
Day War- wherein Israel in its’ preparations had hijacked a Mig Plane from Iraq.
This is what exactly had happened. Pakistan used to send
resources for the army using the civil route, that passed through the Indian
air space. Other routes were long and exerted constraints on the pockets.
See Map
The D-date was January
30, 1971. An Indian Airlines Fokker F27 Friendship aircraft named Ganga was hijacked by two Kashmiri citizens, Hashim Quereshi and his
cousin Ashraf Butt.
Ganga was one of the oldest aircraft in the Indian
Airlines fleet and was already withdrawn from service but was re-inducted days
before the hijacking. Ganga was readied for its’ final sojourn. This was the
ultimate flight. The entire plot was planned by RAW. The hijacker, Hashim was a RAW agent, an ex-BSF officer. The
travellers were all Indian services personnel or their family members.
As expected, Pakistan was not aware of the hijack
operation. The drama reached its’ crescendo when Hashim contacted Lahore air
base seeking permission to land the hijacked plane on Pakistan soil.
It was never difficult for Hashim and Ashraf to
convince the then foreign minister and future prime minister of Pakistan,
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The strong case of seeking world attention to Kashmir
problem was evident. It was perceived to be a blow to India, which was already
interfering into East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh).
Bhutto himself welcomed Hashim at Lahore. However, under
pressure from India, all the passengers were released and the aircraft was destroyed.
This gave India, the chance to enforce a curfew for
Pakistan flights over the Indian air-space. The supplies to East Pakistan was a
burden now. The effect- Pakistan overall lost East Pakistan territory due to
insufficient and untimely supplies from the mother nation.
Pakistan realized this soon and arrested Hashim and
Butt. Hashim was given a 13 year jail term by Pakistan court.
RAW has always maintained a diplomatic stand on this chapter. It has
neither denied nor accepted the fact that the hijack was planned.
