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2018-11-05 23:35:42 UTC
Gen (R) Niazi demands fresh probe into East Pakistan debacle
ISLAMABAD (Online) - Lt Gen (Retd) Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the last
Chief of united Pakistan's Eastern Command has emphasised the need to
set up an authoritative commission to find out the underlying reasons
of East Pakistan's separation. He said the history has been
intentionally tarnished which needed to be corrected and the people
should be apprised of the true facet of the history. He said though
three main characters involved in separation of East Pakistan Gen
Yahya Khan, Sh Mujibur Rehman and Zulkiqar Ali Bhutto were no more yet
he (Gen Niazi) was ready to appear before such a tribunal. He
expressed these views in an exclusive interview with "Online".
It must be remembered that Gen Niazi, now 83, is one of the world's
most honoured Generals but unfortunately the General who earned many
laurels for his bravery had to face his life's worst humiliation on
December 16, 1971 in Dhaka and he was being subjected to bitter
criticism by the nation during the last 28 years. Gen Niazi was twice
conferred Hilal-e-Jurrat, first after 1965-war and then after 1971
war. In addition, he has also been awarded Sitara-e-Pakistan and
Sitara-e-Khidmat.
Gen Niazi said he never wanted to surrender before the enemy but being
a soldier of the most disciplined army, he had to abide by the orders.
He claimed that the United States had quoted him as "there are only
few men like him in the history".
He said when he reached East Pakistan on April 14, 1971, every thing
was in a shambles; there was no concept of borders between East
Pakistan and India; except for few areas, rebels had occupied the
entire region and blocked all land and sea routes.
At that time a huge army of about 2-3 Lakh men with guerrilla training
was needed to control the situation but with only 45,000 men, we
fought the guerrillas in East Pakistan and then the Indian force at
3,000 miles long front. He disclosed that out of these 45,000 jawans,
only 34,000 were regular army including 23,000 infantry. They were
required to fight 350,000 enemy troops in addition to Mukti Bahini
guerrillas.
But we proved it to the world that Pak Army was the best. Pak Army
still has the potential to defeat Indians, he declared.
He said that bravery of the Pakistan Army could be gauged from the
fact that in World War-II that continued for years, only one military
burial took place while in East Pakistan, four military burials took
place in just 26 days war. Military burial is a term used for burial
of a soldier by the enemy with full military honour. "No one can
defeat such a nation", the former General said.
Answering a question, Gen Niazi disclosed that on the night of
December 13, he and Governor Abdul Malik received a phone call from
Yahya Khan who appreciated them for their bravery and said the whole
nation was proud of them but its beyond human strength to keep
fighting with the enemy anymore and ordered him to stop fighting. The
General said he kept on requesting rather begging to let him face the
enemy. He sent the last signal on December 15 that he did not want to
surrender but he was forced to do so.
Regarding arrival of the 7th Fleet, he said he and the whole nation
was deceived. The fleet was not coming; it was all a fraud. "I was
also informed that the Chinese were coming to my help but that too was
a white lie", he added.
Answering a question, he said being the last commander he could have
escaped which in turn would have proved beneficial to him. Had he
escaped, he would not have to sign the documents of surrender and did
not have to face the imprisonment, he commented. He disclosed that he
also had heavy amount in the shape of Pakistani and foreign currency
and travellers cheques which he had collected to prevent from going in
enemy's hands. But there were some drawbacks as well; Urdu-Speaking
people might have faced mass-killings; women would have been
dishonoured; and officers and jawans men tortured. "My conscience did
not let me escape", he said.
"One has to have a lion's heart to face the defeat", he revealed. He
told that many conspiracies were fabricated to tarnish the image of
Pak Army but all such charges like raping women were false.
Answering a question about Hamoodur Rehman Commission, he said it was
all a drama and there were 'other' reasons for its establishment. He
said he appeared before the commission two or three times but every
time he was asked irrelevant questions.
ISLAMABAD (Online) - Lt Gen (Retd) Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the last
Chief of united Pakistan's Eastern Command has emphasised the need to
set up an authoritative commission to find out the underlying reasons
of East Pakistan's separation. He said the history has been
intentionally tarnished which needed to be corrected and the people
should be apprised of the true facet of the history. He said though
three main characters involved in separation of East Pakistan Gen
Yahya Khan, Sh Mujibur Rehman and Zulkiqar Ali Bhutto were no more yet
he (Gen Niazi) was ready to appear before such a tribunal. He
expressed these views in an exclusive interview with "Online".
It must be remembered that Gen Niazi, now 83, is one of the world's
most honoured Generals but unfortunately the General who earned many
laurels for his bravery had to face his life's worst humiliation on
December 16, 1971 in Dhaka and he was being subjected to bitter
criticism by the nation during the last 28 years. Gen Niazi was twice
conferred Hilal-e-Jurrat, first after 1965-war and then after 1971
war. In addition, he has also been awarded Sitara-e-Pakistan and
Sitara-e-Khidmat.
Gen Niazi said he never wanted to surrender before the enemy but being
a soldier of the most disciplined army, he had to abide by the orders.
He claimed that the United States had quoted him as "there are only
few men like him in the history".
He said when he reached East Pakistan on April 14, 1971, every thing
was in a shambles; there was no concept of borders between East
Pakistan and India; except for few areas, rebels had occupied the
entire region and blocked all land and sea routes.
At that time a huge army of about 2-3 Lakh men with guerrilla training
was needed to control the situation but with only 45,000 men, we
fought the guerrillas in East Pakistan and then the Indian force at
3,000 miles long front. He disclosed that out of these 45,000 jawans,
only 34,000 were regular army including 23,000 infantry. They were
required to fight 350,000 enemy troops in addition to Mukti Bahini
guerrillas.
But we proved it to the world that Pak Army was the best. Pak Army
still has the potential to defeat Indians, he declared.
He said that bravery of the Pakistan Army could be gauged from the
fact that in World War-II that continued for years, only one military
burial took place while in East Pakistan, four military burials took
place in just 26 days war. Military burial is a term used for burial
of a soldier by the enemy with full military honour. "No one can
defeat such a nation", the former General said.
Answering a question, Gen Niazi disclosed that on the night of
December 13, he and Governor Abdul Malik received a phone call from
Yahya Khan who appreciated them for their bravery and said the whole
nation was proud of them but its beyond human strength to keep
fighting with the enemy anymore and ordered him to stop fighting. The
General said he kept on requesting rather begging to let him face the
enemy. He sent the last signal on December 15 that he did not want to
surrender but he was forced to do so.
Regarding arrival of the 7th Fleet, he said he and the whole nation
was deceived. The fleet was not coming; it was all a fraud. "I was
also informed that the Chinese were coming to my help but that too was
a white lie", he added.
Answering a question, he said being the last commander he could have
escaped which in turn would have proved beneficial to him. Had he
escaped, he would not have to sign the documents of surrender and did
not have to face the imprisonment, he commented. He disclosed that he
also had heavy amount in the shape of Pakistani and foreign currency
and travellers cheques which he had collected to prevent from going in
enemy's hands. But there were some drawbacks as well; Urdu-Speaking
people might have faced mass-killings; women would have been
dishonoured; and officers and jawans men tortured. "My conscience did
not let me escape", he said.
"One has to have a lion's heart to face the defeat", he revealed. He
told that many conspiracies were fabricated to tarnish the image of
Pak Army but all such charges like raping women were false.
Answering a question about Hamoodur Rehman Commission, he said it was
all a drama and there were 'other' reasons for its establishment. He
said he appeared before the commission two or three times but every
time he was asked irrelevant questions.