The Lahore Declaration had been signed on February 21, 1999, by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. Vajpayee’s bus trip to Lahore had raised hopes for improved relations between the two historically adversarial nations.
However, this optimism was shattered in May 1999 when Pakistani Army regulars, posing as Kashmiris, crossed the Line of Control (LoC).
The initial report of the Pakistani intrusion in the Kargil sector came from Tashi Namgyal, a local shepherd. Now 56 years old, Tashi Namgyal lives in a small village called Gharkon, located near Batalik town, about 60 km from Kargil in the Ladakh region. He recalled spotting the Pakistani infiltrators on May 3, 1999.
Tashi Namgyal, while recalling what happened, stated, “On the morning of May 3, I had moved up with one of my friends some 5 km along Jubbar Langpa stream in search of my missing yak. I was scanning the mountainside through a pair of binoculars.”
MUST READ: Did You Know Politician And Olympic Medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore Fought In The Kargil War?
He added, “And then I saw groups of men in Pathan attire and camouflaged Pakistani soldiers digging bunkers. Some of them were armed, however, it was not possible for me to ascertain their numbers. But one thing I was sure — they had come from the other side of the LoC.”
Namgyal continued, “I came down and promptly informed the nearest post of the Indian Army. My information alerted Indian army and they cross-checked and found that my information about the intrusion of Pakistani soldiers was correct,” Namgyal said.
What initially appeared to be a minor incursion escalated into a significant military campaign by the Pakistani Army. The Kargil War concluded on July 26, 1999, with India emerging victorious in Operation Vijay.
Now, twenty-five years later, Tashi Namgyal, a vigilant shepherd from Aryan Valley in Ladakh, is seeking compensation for 18 yaks lost during the conflict and official recognition in the form of a civilian honor. Although he receives an annual ration and honors from the Army on Kargil Vijay Diwas, he hopes for more substantial recognition from the central government.
Namgyal, who attended the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas with his daughter Tsering Dolkar, a teacher, voiced his enduring concerns. “The government compensates various losses, but I have not received anything for my yaks. I am prepared to provide all necessary details through the village nambardar to obtain compensation,” he said.
ALSO READ: Kargil War Diwas: From Raveena Tandon to Nawaz sharif, India’s Present To Pakistan During Kargil War
