IBPS PO 2020 MAINS|ENGLISH|READING COMPREHENSION
Direction (1-6): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given.
After the Bangladesh
Liberation War in 1971, there had been a long period of relative calm among the
two neighbors. But during the 1990s, escalating tensions and conflict with
separatists in Kashmir as well as nuclear tests by both countries in 1998
changed the scenario. Despite the belligerent atmosphere, both countries signed
the Lahore Declaration in February 1999 to provide a peaceful and bilateral
solution to the Kashmiri issue. However, elements in the Military of Pakistan
covertly trained and sent troops and paramilitary forces, some allegedly in the
guise of mujahedeen, into the Indian Territory. The aim was to sever the link
between Kashmir and Ladakh and cause Indian forces to withdraw from the Siachen
Glacier, thus forcing India to negotiate a settlement of the broader Kashmir
dispute. Pakistan also believed that any tension in the region would internationalize the Kashmir issue, helping it to secure a speedy resolution.
Yet another goal may have been to boost the morale of the decade-long rebellion
in Indian-held Kashmir by taking a proactive role. Some writers have speculated
that the operation’s objective may also have been as a retaliation for India’s
Operation Meghdoot in 1984 that seized much of Siachen Glacier. According to
India’s then army chief Veda Prakash Malik, and many other scholars, the
infiltration was code named “Operation Badr”, and much of the background
planning, including construction of logistical supply routes, had been
undertaken much earlier. On more than one occasion, the army had given past
Pakistani leaders (namely Zia ul Haq and Benazir Bhutto) similar proposals for
an infiltration in the Kargil region in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the plans
had been shelved for fear of drawing the nations into all-out war. Some
analysts believe that the blueprint of attack was reactivated when Pervez
Musharraf was appointed chief of army staff in October 1998. In a disclosure
made by Nawaz Sharif, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, he states that he
was unaware of the preparation of the intrusion, and it was an urgent phone
call from Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his counterpart in India, that informed him
about the situation. Responding to this, Musharraf asserted that the Prime
Minister had been briefed on the Kargil operation 15 days ahead of Vajpayee’s
journey to Lahore on February 20. Sharif had attributed the plan to Musharraf
and “just two or three of his cronies”, a view shared by some Pakistani writers
who have stated that, only four generals, including Musharraf, knew of the
plan. There were three major phases to the Kargil War. First, Pakistan captured
several strategic high points in the Indian controlled section of Kashmir.
India responded by first capturing strategic transportation routes, then
militarily pushing Pakistani forces back across the Line of Control. Because of
the extreme winter weather in Kashmir, it was common practice for the Indian
and Pakistan Army to abandon forward posts and reoccupy them in the spring.
That particular spring, the Pakistan Army reoccupied the forward posts before
the scheduled time.
1. Why did tension escalate between both these countries in according
to the passage?
1) Because India occupied
the land of Pakistan.
2) Because Pakistani’s allegedly sent terrorists in the name of Mujahedeen.
3) Because Pakistani’s have signed truce.
4) That Bangladesh had
formed in the early 1970’s.
5) None of these
2. Pick out the appropriate point related to “Siachen glacier”?
1) It was re-occupied by India under operation Badr.
2) All the above
3) Pakistan had evidence regarding the Siachen glacier.
4) Siachen glacier belongs to India and also claimed it during
1984 operation meghdoot.
5) None of these
3. How did the Kargil war start between these countries?
1) Pakistan and India share a bad relation.
2) Pakistan occupied
several parts of Indian land in Kashmir.
3) Pakistan sent terrorists like Mujahedeen.
4) India occupied several parts of Line of Control.
5) None of these
4. Pick out the appropriate option in according to the passage.
1) Pakistan caused all the troubles and disrupted the peace.
2) The aim of the Mujahedeen was to sever the link between Kashmir
and Ladakh.
3) All the above
4) Pakistan had seized the roadways and logistical supply which
are under the control of India.
5) None of these
5. Despite the __________atmosphere, both countries signed the
Lahore Declaration in February 1999.
1) Suitable
2) Calm
3) Agreeable
4) Hostile 2
5) None of these
6. Pick out the synonym of the word “covertly”.
1) Secretly
2) Frankly
3) Publicly
4) Adversely
5) None of these
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