A hoax call that could have triggered war

[Robin234]

ISLAMABAD, Dec 5: Nuclear-armed Pakistan went into a state of ‘high alert’ last weekend and was eyeing India for possible signs of military aggression, after a threatening phone call made to President Asif Ali Zardari by someone from Delhi who posed himself as the Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Whether it was mere mischief or a sinister move by someone in the Indian external affairs ministry, or the call came from within Pakistan, remains unclear, and is still a matter of investigation. But several political, diplomatic and security sources have confirmed to Dawn that for nearly 24 hours over the weekend the incident continued to send jitters across the world. To some world leaders the probability of an accidental war appeared very high.

It all started late on Friday, November 28. Because of the heightened tension over the Mumbai carnage, some senior members of the presidential staff decided to bypass the standard procedures meant for such occasions, including verification of the caller and involvement of the diplomatic missions, and transferred the late-evening call to Mr Zardari. The caller introduced himself as Pranab Mukherjee and, while ignoring the conciliatory language of the president, directly threatened to take military action if Islamabad failed to immediately act against the supposed perpetrators of the Mumbai killings.

As the telephone call ended many in the Presidency were convinced that the Indians had started beating the war drums. Within no time intense diplomatic and security activity started in Islamabad. Signals were sent to everyone who mattered about how the rapidly deteriorating situation may spiral out of control. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was advised to immediately return to the capital from Lahore, and a special plane (PAF chief’s) was sent to Delhi to bring back the visiting Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi early in the morning on Nov 29 even when he was already booked to return by a scheduled PIA flight the same evening.

Rest read here ->

A hoax call that could have triggered war -DAWN - Top Stories; December 06, 2008

Now I understand why people in Pakistan got so worried and we here had no info that India is planning to take military action .

 

[Patriot]

Caller posing as Indian FM Pranab Mukherjee, also tried to call US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, but due to specific checks by US officials the call was not put through..we can call Zardari from a PCO ?

 

[shehbazi2001]

According to today's news, someone from Delhi called President Zardari disguising himself as Pranab Mukherjee and delivering threats to take military action against Pakistan.

This could have been a plot to monitor the emergency response of Pakistan in face of imminent threat. They gave a threat and then could have possibly monitored all the activities that GoP and Armed Forces initiated.

All persons contacted in urgency could have been monitored alongwith the method of delivering signals to various command centers.

GoP itself sent signals to all important places and persons. I think after this episode, GoP and Armed Forces should change their "checklist" or methods or signal and codes for emergency response and emergency communication.

If this all is not changed, next time India may first disable the vital communication links or may send spurious signals itself to various command centers of Pakistan.

Others members may shed further light on the topic.

 

[metalfalcon]

Caller posing as Indian FM Pranab Mukherjee, also tried to call US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, but due to specific checks by US officials the call was not put through..we can call Zardari from a PCO ?

Why GoP doesn't have such security checks, This is not a small thing, If Pakistan would have made any mistake in self defence after this call the whole Blame would have been on Pakistan. GoP must take some steps ti avoid miss communication.

 

[Rafael]

Why GoP doesn't have such security checks, This is not a small thing, If Pakistan would have made any mistake in self defence after this call the whole Blame would have been on Pakistan. GoP must take some steps ti avoid miss communication.

guys the information minister sherry rehman has clearly said that this call was from indian foreign ministry and it is not possible that any tom dick or harry calls the president house and we let president talk to him..

now this is a mere propaganda from indians as usual...

 

[Kharian_Beast]

They've also called a few tv stations posed as terrorists, with fake accents.

JULM ki maa...

 

[fatman17]

According to today's news, someone from Delhi called President Zardari disguising himself as Pranab Mukherjee and delivering threats to take military action against Pakistan.

This could have been a plot to monitor the emergency response of Pakistan in face of imminent threat. They gave a threat and then could have possibly monitored all the activities that GoP and Armed Forces initiated.

All persons contacted in urgency could have been monitored alongwith the method of delivering signals to various command centers.

GoP itself sent signals to all important places and persons. I think after this episode, GoP and Armed Forces should change their "checklist" or methods or signal and codes for emergency response and emergency communication.

If this all is not changed, next time India may first disable the vital communication links or may send spurious signals itself to various command centers of Pakistan.

Others members may shed further light on the topic.

main article in todays DAWN!

 

[Robin234]

guys the information minister sherry rehman has clearly said that this call was from indian foreign ministry and it is not possible that any tom dick or harry calls the president house and we let president talk to him..

now this is a mere propaganda from indians as usual...

propaganda from us . I got this news from your media site knows as DAWN.

 

[Rafael]

propaganda from us . I got this news from your media site knows as DAWN.

they took it from your media person..

 

[dabong1]

propaganda from us . I got this news from your media site knows as DAWN.

Thats strange....in my post about the link between austria and the phone calls about the attack on mumbai you gave a thumbs up after Daredevil said.

"I think you should look more carefully, even your media has gone bonkers, it is DAWN ".
http://www.defence.pk/forums/war-te...es-possible-phone-link-attack.html#post236168

 

[Captain03]

According to today's news, someone from Delhi called President Zardari disguising himself as Pranab Mukherjee and delivering threats to take military action against Pakistan.

This could have been a plot to monitor the emergency response of Pakistan in face of imminent threat. They gave a threat and then could have possibly monitored all the activities that GoP and Armed Forces initiated.

All persons contacted in urgency could have been monitored alongwith the method of delivering signals to various command centers.

GoP itself sent signals to all important places and persons. I think after this episode, GoP and Armed Forces should change their "checklist" or methods or signal and codes for emergency response and emergency communication.

If this all is not changed, next time India may first disable the vital communication links or may send spurious signals itself to various command centers of Pakistan.

Others members may shed further light on the topic.

i agree my friend =]

 

[Awesome]

That's scary.

The Pak guys really need to be only talking with India over hotlines.

Lesson learned I hope.

 

[Patriot]

Apparently, the call itself was made from within Pakistan (despite the number being that of Parnab Mukhurjee).

 

[fatman17]

That's scary.

The Pak guys really need to be only talking with India over hotlines.

Lesson learned I hope.

i think the DGMO's are talking on the hot-line to discuss media reports of things like troops movements, moving of AD assets and airforce deployments nearer to the eastern border.

 

[daredevil]

Apparently, the call itself was made from within Pakistan (despite the number being that of Parnab Mukhurjee).

An inside job then?