Military preparations The Mumbai attacks lasted from 26 to 29 November 2008. At a state lunch in Lahore on 7 December, the
US Arizona Senator
John McCain relayed a message from Indian Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh to several of Pakistan's dignitaries, including Pakistan's Prime Minister
Yousuf Raza Gilani that if Pakistan did not arrest those involved with the attacks, India would begin aerial attacks against Pakistan. In mid December Indian fighter planes allegedly intruded Pakistan's air space at two places. On 22 December, the
Pakistan Air Force began
combat air patrol (CAP) over several cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, to avert any further air intrusion. Pakistan's Foreign Minister
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, "Pakistan defence forces and armed forces are ready to face any challenge, as Pakistan has the full right to defend itself". Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani said, "Pakistan remains united and is ready to fight anyone to defend itself". Pakistani Defense Minister Ahmad Mukhtar Chaudhry said, "If India tried to thrust war, then the armed forces of Pakistan have all the potential and right to defend [Pakistan]".
Escalations and back-door response According to Pakistani media, India had started deploying troops along the
Rajasthan border, and had tightened security in and around the defence airstrips. More radars and quick reaction teams were then deployed along the India-Pakistan border. Indian forces were on regular firing exercises at locations, like Lathi Firing Range in
Jaisalmer, Mahsan in
Bikaner,
Suratgarh and
Ganganagar. On 23 December, Kamal Hyder, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Pakistan, wrote that the Pakistan "
navy,
marines air force and
army were on
red alert" and that "the chiefs of Pakistan's
armed forces together with the
Chairman Joint Chiefs were holding what had been described as an emergency meeting at
joint headquarters in Rawalpindi". He also wrote that "[t]he Pakistan air force have been seen visibly in a number of locations flying close to the Pakistani-India border, in what is being described as an aggressive patrolling mode, following reports that India is planning pre-emptive strikes against locations in Pakistan". A Pakistan airforce spokesperson said "[i]n view of the current environment, the
Pakistan Air Force has enhanced its vigilance". Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, said that Pakistan would mount an equal response "within minutes", to any Indian attack. Pakistan continued to combat air patrol over several cities. F-16s in Action, Pakistan began
Combat Air Patrol over several cities According to Indian sources the
Taliban and affiliated groups openly declared their solidarity with
Pakistan. The banned
Tehrik-e-Taliban had proclaimed that they would send "thousands of (their) well-armed
militants" to wage
jihad against
India if war should break out. Hundreds of would-be bombers were equipped with suicide jackets and explosive-laden vehicles. On 24 December, P.K. Barbora, the air officer commanding-in-chief of Western Air Command, said "[t]he IAF has earmarked 5,000 targets in Pakistan. But whether we will cross the LoC or the International Border to hit the enemy targets will have to be decided by the political leadership of the country". India Today reported that "Indian Air Force fighter planes are engaged in round the clock sorties. An unusual hectic activity of Indian Air Force has been visible along the border for past some days". On the same day, Stratfor confirmed that "the state government of Rajasthan has ordered residents of its border villages to be prepared for relocation". President Asif Ali Zardari said "We will defend the country till the last drop of our blood", and "we will defend the country till our last breath". Pakistan began deploying warplanes to forward air bases.
Diplomacy and neutralisation On 25 December, however, the ruling
UPA government in India played down apprehensions of an imminent military conflagration. The Indian Prime Minister made it clear that "nobody wanted war". The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) played a subsequent role during this time and the Indian Air Force downplayed the sorties by PAF fighter jets, saying it was an air defence exercise. However, R. C. Dhyani, DIG of Rajasthan frontier BSF, said, "[a] lot of military movement is being noticed in districts just across the international border for the last few days, which is not normal" and "Pakistan has deployed more troops across border". The
Chairman Senate of Pakistan, Senator
Raza Rabbani, said that any surgical strike into its territory would be taken as an act of war and would be repulsed with "full force", and that "[e]ach and every inch of the country will be safeguarded". India moved
MiG-29s to
Hindon air base, located near New Delhi, in order "to protect the capital from aerial threats". The Pakistani city of Mianwali began a
blackout. Pakistan continued deployment, and moved the 10th Brigade to the outskirts of
Lahore, and the 3rd Armored Brigade to
Jhelum. The 10th Infantry Division and the 11th Infantry Division had been placed on high alert. The Indian Army deployed quick reaction teams (QRTs) along the border, which "precede the movement of bridging equipment – to cross canals in Punjab – and of heavy guns". Amir Mir of
Daily News and Analysis wrote that "Pakistan's military leadership has advised president Asif Ali Zardari to take back his statement made last month, that his country would not be the first to use nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict with India". On 26 December, Pakistan cancelled all military leave and activated contacts with friendly countries and military partners. Pakistan deployed troops to "protect vital points along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and the international border with India". Pakistani Foreign Minister Quresh said that, "if war is imposed, we will respond to it like a brave, self-respecting nation". Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a second meeting of the Nuclear Command Authority to "discuss all the options available to India". Pakistan deployed the 14th Infantry Division to Kasur and Sialkot, close to the border. India advised its citizens not to travel to Pakistan. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met with the chiefs of the Indian air force, army, and navy. On 27 December, India's largest opposition party, the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), called for all travel between India and Pakistan to be stopped, and for the recall of the Indian High Commissioner from Pakistan. The Pakistani Army alerted retired army personnel to be ready to be called up to active duty. On 28 December, Pakistan postponed all officer training courses. On 29 December, the leaders of the Indian and Pakistani armies spoke over their
red telephone, to avert an accidental nuclear war. The President of the BJP,
Rajnath Singh, called for a joint India-US military action against Pakistan. John McCain said, "The Indians are on the verge of some kind of attack on Pakistan". However, this was not backed by Indian or international media.
Pakistani deployments The
Pakistan military had cancelled all leave. Elements of the
Pakistan Air Force had been deployed to front line bases. Pakistan had deployed the 3rd Armored Brigade to
Jhelum, and the 10th Infantry Brigade, with 5,000 troops, to
Lahore.
MiG-29s had been deployed to
Hindon air base, to protect New Delhi. Later IAF sources claimed that the move was a result of intelligence inputs of an air attack on Delhi. ==See also==