DISINTEGRATION OF PAKISTAN AND CREATION OF

BANGLADESH

GROUP MEMBERS

1. Hamza Khan

2. Haseeb Hussain

3. Ozair Lodhi

4. Shayan Tariq

5. Summar Wahab

Post-Partition Difficulties• Pakistan was born in bloodshed and came into existence on

August 14, 1947, confronted by seemingly insurmountable problems.

• Pakistan’s boundaries were established hastily and the minimal requirements of a working central government were missing.

• After partition, Muslim banking shifted from Bombay to Karachi. Much of the investment in East Pakistan came from West Pakistani banks. Because of this the Bengalis found themselves excluded from the managerial level and from skilled labor.

• Until 1947 the East Wing of Pakistan, had been heavily dependent on Hindu management. After partition people from West Pakistan took their place.

• The Muslim Bengalis didn’t have any past administrative experience because of which high-level posts in Dhaka, were usually filled by West Pakistanis or by refugees from India who had adopted Pakistani citizenship.

• One of the most divisive issues was the question of what the official language of the new state was to be.

• The Bengalis constituted a majority (an estimated 54 percent) of Pakistan’s entire population.

The political picture in 1947• Bengal, Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (then 'NWFP') were

provinces with elected assemblies.• Baluchistan, Tribal areas and princely states.• The Bahawalpur state and The Baloch state.

When the 'Bengali problem' arose• It had begun in 1947 already.• The Bengalis were more in number than all the rest put together, and

under a democracy, nothing could bar them from getting a majority share in the new state.

First draft — how an impasse was created

• When the first draft of the Constitution (Interim Report of the BPC) was presented to the Constituent Assembly in September 1950, it provided for two elected houses:

i. The House of Unitsii. The House of People

• The Bengalis, who were being offered half the seats, were not ready to surrender their right.

• Thus evolved the impasse.

Second draft — Nazimuddin's partial 'Principle of Parity'

• He presented the second draft in the Assembly, it provided for 120 seats in the House of Units and 400 in House of People.

• Half of both of these were given to Bengal in the east and the other half was divided among the nine units of Western Pakistan roughly according to their share in population.

• But this principle — share proportionate to population — was not adopted in the division of seats between east and West Pakistan.

• This blatant imparity and injustice was given the name, “Principle of Parity”.

• This is how the narrative went: Pakistan comprises of two wings, East Pakistan, consisting of East Bengal and West Pakistan, constituted by nine units; and the two wings must get equal representation.

Third draft — Bogra's mathematical masterstroke

• In October 1954, he presented the third draft, which clubbed the nine units of Western Pakistan into four groups and the fifth unit Bengal. The 300 seats of the House of People were roughly accorded to each unit according to their share in the population.

• In this way, East Bengal got a majority in the House of People (with 165 out of 300 seats), but not in the House of Units where it had just 10 of the 50 seats.

• All the laws had to be approved by both the Houses and in a joint sitting.

• Governor General Ghulam Muhammad, however, dismissed the government and dissolved the Assembly the same month.

The One-Unit Scheme• It took the Governor General a year to put in place the second

Constituent Assembly. Unlike the first one, it followed the 'Principle of Parity', that is, only half of the members of the second Constituent Assembly (40 out of 80) were taken from East Bengal.

• The first important thing that the new Constituent Assembly did was to 'unify' the nine units of the western wing into one province — the amalgam was called West Pakistan.

• The country now comprised of two provinces being treated equally, instead of 10 units with one being less equal than the other nine.

•The Constitution that this Assembly finally passed in March 1956 provided for one elected House —National Assembly — comprising of 300 members elected directly by the people with half coming from East Pakistan and half from the West.•General Ayyub thought that the blatant use of force was a viable alternative and jumped in. He was wrong. He held the country together at gun point.

• A decade later, when he finally had to withdraw the gun, General Yahya agreed to hold direct elections under adult franchise to a National Assembly that would formulate the country's constitution.

•  His Legal Framework Order (since there was no constitution in place at that time) conceived a 300 member National Assembly with 162 elected from East Bengal, accepting the old Bengali demand. But perhaps, it was already too late.

Role of Awami League• Awami League, formed in 1951, was headed by Sheikh Mujib-ur-

Rahman.

• It briefly traces the origin of this political party and discusses political as well as economic factors which caused the growth and popularity of this party among the Bengali masses.

• It was AL under Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman which played decisive role for complete separation of East Pakistan from West Pakistan and appearance of Bangladesh.

• Awami League (AL) played a major role in the emergence of Bangladesh on December 16,1971. Pakistan was created in the name of Islam but the ruling elite in West Pakistan used it as a political slogan to subjugate Bengali Muslim.

• The pioneers of Awami League like Maulana Bhashani and Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman ‘mobilized the poor, landless people” of East Bengal.

• AL arose as the only meaningful opposition force to the rulers of West Pakistan. Its Six-Points represented the aspirations of Bengalis.

• The real purpose of the Awami League demand for regional autonomy was to establish a balance of power between East and West Pakistan.

• The economic and political plight of the Bengali Muslim led them to form the Awami Muslim League (AML) in early 1949. The AML made good use of all opportunities to expand its support base. The 1952 language movement gave it’s universally popularity issue which was crucial to its development.

• To get Hindu population support, AL demanded that clause of joint electorate be included in the new constitution of Pakistan.

Mujib-ur-Rehman’s Six PointsPoint No. 1The constitution should provide for a Federation of Pakistan on its true basis of the Lahore Resolution and the parliamentary form of government with supremacy of a Legislature directly elected on the basis of universal adult franchise.Point No. 2The federal Government should deal with only two subjects, Defense and Foreign Affairs, and all other residuary subjects shall be vested in the federating states.Point No.3There would either be two different currencies for the two wings or a single one with separate Federal Reserve systems for each wing.

Point No. 4The power of taxation and revenue collection shall be vested in the federating units and the federal center will have no such power. The federation will be entitled to a share in the state taxes to meet its expenditures.Point No. 5a. There shall be two separate accounts for foreign exchange earnings of the

two wings.b. Earnings of East Pakistan shall be under the control of East Pakistan

government and that of West Pakistan under the control of West Pakistan government.

c. Foreign exchange requirement of the federal government shall be met by the two wings either equally or in a ratio to be fixed.

d. Indigenous products shall move free of duty between two wings.e. The constitution shall empower the unit governments to establish trade and

commercial relations with set up trade missions in and enter into agreements with foreign countries.

Point No. 6 East Pakistan would have a separate militia or paramilitary force as a measure of its security.

General Ayub Khan’s Era• Ayub‘s era played a fundamental role in separation of

East Pakistan (Bangladesh). People of East Pakistan were not happy by the reforms of General Ayub.

• Throughout this period all the financial development was only done in West Pakistan and the East Pakistan were ignored by West Pakistan.

• General Ayub Khan was a big and powerful military man but he did many mistakes on this whole issue. During the War of 1965 East Pakistanis raised the voice that West Pakistan left them alone to kill from the cruel Indian army but he paid no attention to them and lost their confidence.

• Agartala conspiracy was also a big part of it where Mujib met with army generals and Indira Gandhi and they formulated a strategy of revolution against Ayub Khan which again decreased the reputation of Ayub Khan.

GENERAL YAHYA KHAN’s ERA

• Yahya Khan was the second Chief Martial Law Administrator of Pakistan.

• Yahya Khan became the President of Pakistan on 31 March 1969 and kept that position till 6 December 1971.

• During the political crisis in Pakistan at the end of Ayub Khan’s reign, Yahya Khan thought of taking over the Ayub regime.

• Since his reign was very short he could not bring drastic or lasting changes. Few of the reforms that he tried to bring were that his regime.

a: Legal Framework Order 1970 b: Dissolution of One-Unit c: Holding of Pakistan’s first free elections on adult franchise.

• The One-Unit scheme was a bone of contention among the West Pakistan provinces and that was the reason that the people around the President kept on insisting him to dissolve it. So finally in early 1970 Yahya Khan announced the Legal Framework Order to determine principles for the new would be constitution of Pakistan.

• While imposing Martial Law in the country in 1969, Yahya Khan had abrogated Ayub Khan’s constitution of 1962, and a new constitution was to be worked out by the proposed assembly.

• But all these efforts could not make the Bengalis satisfied and thus their strong intention to be free and Yahya’s weakness in handling the affairs fairly led to the dismemberment of Pakistan.

Operation Searchlight (25 March 1971)

• The Pakistani military cracked down on Dhaka on the night of 25 March 1971.

• The next action carried out by Pakistani army was Operation Searchlight.

• An attempt to kill the intellectual elite of the east.

• Sheikh Mujib ur Rahman signed an official declaration of independence.

• 26 March 1971 is considered the official Independence Day of Bangladesh.

Declaration of Independence (26 March 1971)

Bangladesh Liberation War

• Liberation war in Bangladesh was a armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalist and Bangladesh Genocide.

• The war began after the Pakistani military junta based in West Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight.

• Bangladesh Forces were divided in the geographical area of Bangladesh into eleven sectors.

• War strategy included a huge Guerrilla Force operating inside Bangladesh.

• They secured control of most parts of the countryside.

Causes Of Separation

Of East Pakistan

Urdu Bengali ControversyThe Two speeches that are at the center of controversy were made on 21st and 24th of March, 1948 at a public meeting and then at Dacca University convention. In both speeches Jinnah took a consistent stand:• The people of Bengal were free to choose Bengali as the official

language of the Bengal province. This he said very clearly and unambiguously on both occasions and the premier of Bengal – Khawaja Nazimuddin also reaffirmed this:

• Urdu alone would be the state language and the lingua franca of the Pakistan state.

• Bengali – like other provincial languages- could be the official language of the East Bengal province but not the Pakistan state and the Pakistan center (Jinnah’s words).

Mukti Bahini• Mukti Bahini refers to the armed organizations that fought against

the Pakistan Army .• Osmani (defense minister) designated the composition of the Mukti

Bahini into several divisions.• Niomita Bahini (regular force) consisted of the members of the EBR,

EPR, police, other paramilitary forces and the general people.• Gono Bahini (people’s army) were the irregular forces .• Mukti Bahini obtained strength from: Armed forces of  East Pakistan,

members of the urban and rural youths.• The Mukti Bahini had several factions: Bangladesh Liberation Forces

(BLF), Special Guerrilla Forces (SGF), Guerrilla operations.• There were also some independent forces: Mujib Bahini, Kaderia Bahini

and communist leftist groups.

Indian Support• India was instrumental in organizing and supporting the revolt of Bengalis

against Pakistan.

• Indian government provided full military and financial assistance.

• Indira Gandhi authorized diplomatic, economic and military support to the Bangladesh Forces in April 1971.

• The Indian Armed Forces provided training and guidance to the Mukti Bahini.

• 10 Million Bangladeshi’s took refuge at bordering India, provided with shelter and support.

• Thousands of Bengali Muslims were also butchered who had sided with Pakistan against India and Mukti Bahini.

Indo-Pak War• The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was the direct military

confrontation between India and Pakistan during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

• On 3 December, PAF launched a pre-emptive strike on eleven air bases in North-Western India.

• This marked the official start of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

• The Indian Air Force responded by striking at several West Pakistani air bases the next day.

• During the course of the war, Indian and Pakistani forces clashed on the Eastern and Western fronts.

• The war came to an end after the Eastern Command of the PAF signed the Instrument of Surrender.

Hindu influence• The 14% Hindu population had full control over the economy

of East Pakistan and they were better educated.• Members of Pakistan National Congress were political agents of

India in East Pakistan.

Failure of Muslim League leadership in East Pakistan

• The selfish politicians fought among themselves for the lust of chair.

• The Cabinet did not pay due attention towards the problems of the people.

The Conflict over Language• Although, Bengali was adopted as one of the two state languages.• Governor Muneem Khan banned the broad cast of Patriotic songs

or poems over Dhaka Radio.

Presidential Form of Government• Parliamentary government could have offset the dominance of

West Pakistan in the civil and military services.• The Power Elite decided in favor of highly centralized presidential

system.• The opposition from East Pakistan was intense.

Unity of Bengali Muslims and Hindus• There was unity among Bengali Muslims and Hindus because

majorly Hindus were teaching in institutions.• Hindus posed to be loyal to Bengali Muslims.

Economic Disparity Between East and West Pakistan• Total revenue expenditure in East Pakistan was 2.5 billion as

compared to 8.9 billion in West PakistanThis resulted into bitter-opposition and resentment towards the central government• The West Pakistan elite favored the policies of economic growth of

the West Pakistan

• The major factor responsible for slower growth of East Pakistan was agriculture.· Doctrine that economic inequalities were necessary for rapid economic growth of the country.· 22 families controlled over the economy of the entire country.· 66% Native industrial assets.· 80% banking assets.

• The people of East Pakistan believed that it was regional prejudice that all white collar jobs were taken by west Pakistanis.

• 95% of the Military personnel were from West Pakistan and only 5% from East Pakistan.

• The number of textile mills had grown to 150 in West Pakistan while that in East Pakistan had gone up to only 26.

• Share of east Pakistan was about 26% of total investment (public and private) during the first five year plan.

The Delay in Constitution Making Process

The delay in Constitution making process gave rise to suspicions and misunderstandings between the people of two halves. The population of East Pakistan was 56%. The Bengalis demanded their representation according to the percentage of population in the national assembly. 

Role of Ruling Elite

1) Civil Service2) Military Hierarchy

Their clear ascendancy as a ruling group had long been established, particularly since military coup of Ayyub in 1958.

Until 1969 all the higher officers were from West Pakistan or had emigrated from Muslim minority areas of India

 Pakistan Army was recruited from 4 districts of  Northern Punjab (Rawalpindi, Cambellpur, Jhelum and Gujrat ) and two districts of NWFP (Peshawar and Kohath). 60% Army consisted of Punjabi and 35% Pakhtoons. 

 The Bengalis were still considered non-martial race. Separation between Ruling elite from the majority of population .

Geographical Location • Geographically Pakistan was not a politically compact unit because it

consisted of two wings, which were separated by more than 1000 miles distance.

• With the passage of time, the binding force of Islamic ideology weakened and regional feelings suffered under Hindu influence.

• It served as a barrier in the way of complete political harmony.

ROLE OF HINDU TEACHERS

• After the partition of sub continent in 1947, the Hindu teachers were basically against the ideology of Pakistan, They propagated against the two nation theory.• In addition, they incited their students against the people of

west Pakistan , labelling them and oppressors.• The new generation considered the leaders and the people

of West Pakistan as their enemies.

CULTURAL CAUSES

• The culture of Bengalis differed greatly from Punjabi’s, Pathans, Sandhi's, and Balochi's.

• Their food, language and way of living style were distinct from the people of West Pakistan.

• The citizens of east Pakistan were culturally more closed with Indians especially with the citizens of west Bengal.

• Naseem Ahmed’s survey of Nationalism(1969) .

ELECTIONS OF 1970

• In the general elections of December 1970, the Awami league achieved an overwhelming victory.

• Awami league captured 160 seats, that was highest number in East Pakistan and overall, Pakistan Peoples Party had won 85 seats in East Pakistan.

• General Yahya Khan refused to hand over government to Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman and situation became very critical in east pakistan and they protested against Yahya Khan.

Military operation in East Pakistan

• After the elections of 1970, the situation became very critical in East Pakistan.

• Sheikh Mujeeb launched a non cooperation movement and civil administration was totally paralyzed.

• All Government and Educational institution were closed and people were asked not to pay any taxes.

• The Government decided to suppress the Awami League and General Tikka was made the Governor of East Pakistan and military operation began in East Pakistan.

• The military operation brought inexpressible miseries and sufferings to the Bengalis and central government deprived herself of public support and sympathies.

The Intrigues of Super-Powers

• Russia was against Pakistan because Pakistan had allowed America to establish military bases in Pakistan and Pakistan became an ally of America against the spread of communism.

• USA did not care for the defense treaty of 1954(SEATO), by which America was bound to help Pakistan in the case of foreign aggression and didn’t help Pakistan.

• Under these circumstances, Russia openly supported India against Pakistan.

Hijacking of Indian plane (Jan 30,1971)

• Indian Aircraft named “GANGA” was hijacked by two Kashmiri Militants (Hashim Qureshi and his cousin Ashraf Qureshi) which was flown to Lahore and was burnt on 1st Feb, 1971.

• India banned Pakistani flights over its territory to disrupt communications between two wings and to strengthened the separatist tendencies.

Military invasion of India• In 1971 war Mukti Bahni became the military

wing of Indian army, Indian Intelligence Agency RAW provided training and weapons to Mukti Bahni Rebels.

• Indian Government began to send military into East Pakistan under the title of Mukti Bahni, this created a situation favorable to the Indian Attack.

• Pakistan Air Force launched a Pre-emptive strike on eleven airfields in North-Western India known as operation Changez Khan on 3rd Dec, 1971.

• L.G A A Khan Niazi,surrendered to L.G Jagjit Singh Aurora on 16 Dec 1971 at Ramna Race course in Dhaka.

HAMOOD-UR-REHMAN COMMISSION REPORT

• After the war of 1971, Pakistan Government constituted the Hamoodur Rehman commission headed by Justice Hamoodur Rehman to investigate the causes of defeat of 1971 war.

• It was an inquiry judicial commission report on the history of Pakistan’s politically-military assessed involvement in East Pakistan from 1947 to 1971.

Members of Hamood-Ur-Rehman Commission• 1) Justice Hamood-Ur-Rehman 2) Justice Anwar Ul Haq 3) Justice

Tufail Rehman 4) Two additional members from Baluchistan High court 5) L.G Altaf Qadir

First Report

• Hamood-Ur-Rehman submitted its first report on July 1972• Commission considered the first report tentative because it had

not been able to take interview of many key people who were prisoners of war at that time.

Supplementery Report• When prisoners of war were released by India in 1974, this

inquiry was reopened in 1974, to get information relevant to the purpose of commission and the commission talked with more 73 bureaucrats and military officers.

• The commission investigated total 313 witnesses.

•

• There were 12 copies of report, which were all destroyed except one.• That One copy of final report called supplementery report was

submitted on 23rd October 1974 to government.• Report was highly critical to the role of army in politics.

FINDINGS OF THE REPORT• The report was highly critical to the role of Army in politics.• According to the report military’s continued involvement in running

the Government after 1958 was the main reason for the corruption and ineffectiveness of senior officers.

• Because of the corruption resulting from such involvement, the lust for wine and women and greed for lands and houses, a large number of senior Officers, particularly those occupying the highest position, had lost not only their will to fight but also their professional competence.

• The report confirmed the looting, rapes and killing of thousands of people in East by Pakistan Army.

• It blamed Lt-Gen Niazi because he was on intimate relationship with women of bad repute and was indulged in smuggling of Pan from East to West Pakistan.

• Also blamed General Yahya Khan, of being a womanizer and an alcoholic.

• The report had recommended the public trial of Pakistani Army Generals on the charge that they had been responsible for the situation in first and surrendered without fight.

AFTERMATH• Final report was submitted on 23 October 1974, by Chief Justice

Hamood-Ur-Rehman to president Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

• The report was highly critical to the role of Army in politics

and Bhutto was afraid that this report would demoralize and

humiliate the Pakistan Army.

• The publications of the report were banned by Zulfiqar Ali

Bhutto.

• No actions were taken on the commission findings.

Acceptance of Bangladesh• In the OIC conference held in Lahore in the tenure of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto,

when Sheikh Mujib ur Rehman visited Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto welcomed him and accepted Bangladesh as an independent state.

• Pakistan’s acceptance of Bangladesh in 1974 only paved the way for future cordial relations. It enabled Bangladesh to become a member of United Nations.

Today separation of East Pakistan still offers us many lessons to learn such as:

• Federalism can only work if each of the units is a willing and an equal partner.

• Resource distribution formula must be transparent and mutually agreed upon. It cannot be and must not be implementing by force in favour of any single unit. 

• Political stability and good governance is the only way to survive as a nation state and to rise among the nations with dignity and respect.

• Finally yet importantly, Military option must be carefully planned and executed and must be backed by a profound political vision. 

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