Dragon Fire

National Command Centre, Karwana, Haryana, India

Hari Dixit, unshaven and frustrated, watched the broadcast from Hamid Khan in Pakistan on the BBC World Service. Khan himself did not appear, leaving a newscaster to deliver his historic message.

‘Pakistan used its ultimate weapon of defence only because Indian military forces threatened to suck our nation away into oblivion. That has been its aim in the sixty years since partition. Last night, I made the terrible decision to defend our right to exist and we halted the Indian advance. But it was a terrible decision and I now pledge two things. Firstly, as soon as India declares a ceasefire, Pakistan will never use nuclear weapons again in this conflict. Secondly, as soon as peace is assured, I will step down as the leader of Pakistan. I call on the United States and the international community to support my pledge and persuade Prime Minister Dixit that this is the only way forward to avoid a nuclear conflict. Finally, I must remind all of you, that Pakistan carried out the nuclear strike on Pakistani soil. It did not breach the sovereignty of any other nation.’

The broadcast ended with the Pakistani national anthem, then cut to a studio discussion which Dixit muted with the remote control. ‘What happens if we declare a ceasefire?’ Dixit asked Unni Khrishnan, the Chief of Army Staff.

‘They’re well beyond the Line of Control in Kashmir. We have the huge loss of the armoured brigades from the nuclear strike. We have surrounded and cut off Sialkot. We could negotiate to hold our positions there. We would have to pull back from Lahore.’

Dixit glanced at the silent television screen running pictures of rioting and arson in Delhi. ‘I can’t think in this bloody dungeon,’ he said. ‘And I shouldn’t be here while ordinary Indians are facing the threat of death.’

‘Sir, the American President is insisting on speaking to you,’ said an aide-de-camp.

‘No,’ snapped Dixit. ‘I’ll only speak to him after he has decided whose side he’s on. Get me Hamid Khan instead. We’ll give him one last chance. Link up Chandra Reddy, Prabhu Purie and the usual suspects with the call.’

Hamid Khan came on the phone keen to talk. ‘The ceasefire will incorporate a referendum on Kashmir,’ he said, immediately.

‘There will be no ceasefire, yet, General,’ said Dixit. ‘You will release a statement announcing your withdrawal from Indian-controlled Kashmir. You will cease all hostilities. You have thirty minutes to do so. If we detect any aircraft movement or the hint of a missile launch, we will obliterate Pakistan with nuclear weapons.’