16 December is the anniversary of secession of East Pakistan in 1971:
Do you know Hamoodur Rehman Commission Report Vol, 1 that detailed the political and economic circumstances leading to the Surrender of East Pakistan is still classified. Only Vol 2 detailing the military operations was leaked from India in 2000 whereafter Gen Musharraf unveiled.
Pakistanis must be told about the events of 1951-71:
1951-58: Gen Ayub third umpire (Army chief, Defense Minister).
1955-58: Gen Iskandar Mirza first umpire (President, Governor General),
1958-69: Gen Ayub first umpire (president, CMLA)
1969-71: Gen Yahya first umpire (President, CMLA)
I think there is no moving forward without a cathartic understanding and evaluation of our history: Economic and social deprivation of half of Pakistani population comprising of Bengalis accompanying:
Bengali Language riots of 1952, dissolution of constituent assembly 1954, Doctrine of Necessity judgement 1955, DoN godfathers shenanigans (musical chairs of PMs), killing of LAQ Oct 1951, hounding of Bengali representatives such as Bengali Speaker of Constituent Assembly Molvi Tameezuddin 1954, Fazlul Haq Sher e Bengal who presented Pakistan resolution in 1940 branded as traitor in 1954-56, Bengali PM Khawaja Nazimuddin ignominiously removed in 1953, Bengali PM Suharwadi deposed in 1956 and later his mysterious death (presumption poisoning), Sh Mujeeb ur Rehman as head of campaign of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah election against Ayub 1965 getting disillusionment after rigging by Gen Ayub, Mujeeb’s 6 points and imprisonment in Agartala Case 1966-67,…
I think Chief Justice Hamdoodur Rahman Commission Report should be made a compulsory reading for every student of Pakistan. It is the right of our nation to get access to the full report. What we have is just the supplementary report. I now sincerely believe that “a nation that forgets its history, is likely to be forgotten by history”.
Here is the excerpt from Chapter 5 “Recommendations” page 78-79 of Vol 2, Supplementary Volume of the Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report under the subheading Trials:
Hamoodur Rehman Commission Report Indictments
[Begin Excerpt]
Trials
3. There is consensus on the imperative need of bringing to book those senior Army Commanders who have brought disgrace and defeat to Pakistan by their subversion of the Constitution, usurpation of political power by criminal conspiracy, their professional incompetence, culpable negligence and wilful neglect in the performance of their duties and physical and moral cowardice in abandoning the fight when they had the capability and resources to resist the enemy. Firm and proper action would not only satisfy the nation’s demand for punishment where it is deserved, but would also ensure against any future recurrence of the kind of shameful conduct displayed during the 1971 war. We accordingly recommend that the following trials be undertaken without delay. : –
(i) That General Yahya Khan, General Abdul Hamid Khan, Lt. Gen. S.G.M.M. Pirzada, Lt. Gen. Gul Hasan, Maj. Gen. Umar and Maj. Gen. Mitha should be publicly tried for being party to a criminal conspiracy to illegally usurp power from F.M. Mohammad Ayub Khan in power if necessary by the use of force. In furtherance of their common purpose they did actually try to influence political parties by threats, inducements and even bribes to support their designs both for bringing about a particular kind of result during the elections of 1970, and later persuading some of the political parties and the elected members of the National Assembly to refuse to attend the session of the National Assembly scheduled to be held at Dacca on the 3rd of March, 1971. They, furthermore, in agreement with each other brought about a situation in East Pakistan which led to a civil disobedience movement, armed revolt by the Awami League and subsequently tot he surrender of our troops in East Pakistan and the dismemberment of Pakistan:
(ii) That the Officers mentioned in No. (i) above should also be tried for criminal neglect of duty in the conduct of war both in East Pakistan and West Pakistan. The details of this neglect would be found in the Chapters dealing with the military aspect of the war
……”
[End Excerpt]
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