ISLAMABAD: Informed sources have dismissed the Indian attempt to play up the existence of a so-called “hotline” between the Services Chiefs of Pakistan and India as yet another attempt at crude propaganda, designed to impress the world and the Soviet Union in particular.

Inquiries on the subject revealed that a communication channel between the two Services Chiefs had all along existed since the first meeting between them in January last. When Indian propagandists felt that the imaginary stories of Pakistani military build-up should be circulated, the “hotline” was forgotten and not used. But when the Indian propaganda had overshot its mark and the planners had overplayed their hands they wanted a safe retreat to bring under control the scare which their fabrications had caused in India.

It was further stated that the agreement between the two Services Chiefs, General Mohammed Yahya Khan and General Kumaramanglam, was nothing more than to use the available facility. The Indian propagandists, however, had racked their minds and by dressing it up gave the version that a hotline had come into existence. — Agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies from Moscow,] Marshal Georgi Zhukov, the “Conqueror of Berlin”, accused Joseph Stalin today [Sept 26] of having committed a “serious error” during the World War Two Battle of Moscow.

Marshal Zhukov said that Stalin wasted Soviet Army reserves by ordering a counter-attack against German forces massing outside Moscow in November 1941 — despite objections by Marshal Zhukov and War Council member Marshal Nikolai Bulganin. Marshal Bulganin became Premier after Stalin’s death.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2016