Part 12
By Dr. Humam Khan
The events of 1971 laid bare the true nature of the Pakistani military’s claimed combat capability, professional competence, and battlefield leadership. During the war in East Pakistan, numerous senior military officers abandoned their responsibilities in a manner that not only raised serious questions about military discipline and command standards, but also dealt a severe blow to the morale and fighting spirit of their troops. Historical records contain numerous accounts indicating that some high-ranking commanders, upon merely hearing reports of an advancing Indian force, would leave the troops under their command on the battlefield and flee themselves.
In the same vein, on 8 December 1971, Major General Rahim Khan, who was commanding a military division in the Chandpur sector, abandoned his entire division and fled alone, even though the Indian Army had not yet formally launched its assault. Likewise, when Brigadier Muhammad Hayat, commander of the 107th Brigade of the 9th Division, received reports that Indian tanks had breached the Jessore defensive line and were advancing forward, instead of verifying the accuracy of the information or assessing the situation on the ground, he immediately decided to withdraw.
As a consequence, on 6 December 1971, he abandoned the strategically important fortress of Jessore and fled alone. His actions spread confusion and panic among other officers and soldiers, compelling them to retreat in a disorganized manner as well. As a result, the strategic stronghold of Jessore, together with its weapons, ammunition, and military equipment, fell into the hands of the Indian Army without any effective resistance.
Brigadier Muhammad Aslam Niazi, commander of the 53rd Brigade of the 39th Division, displayed similar conduct. On 9 December 1971, he fled from the Laksham stronghold while 123 wounded soldiers, heavy weaponry, military equipment, and all logistical supplies were still present there. These wounded troops and military resources were left without protection or command, enabling the Indian Army to take control of them without encountering any resistance.
On the Western Pakistan front, the situation was not markedly different. Major General Abid Khan, commander of the 15th Division, left 98 villages in the Sialkot district under Indian occupation, while no significant resistance was mounted for the defence of these areas. Similarly, Lieutenant General Irshad Ahmad Khan, commander of the Army’s I Corps, allowed the Indian Army to take control of approximately 500 villages in the Shakargarh Tehsil of Sialkot without any major engagement.
The conduct of Lieutenant General A. A. K. Niazi, the overall commander of Pakistani forces in East Pakistan, was even more striking than that of the commanders mentioned above. At the time, nearly 26,000 troops were stationed in Dhaka, supported by a substantial defensive force, adequate stockpiles of weapons, ammunition, and food supplies, while the city’s defensive capabilities had not yet been completely exhausted. However, upon receiving reports that the Indian Army intended to launch an assault on Dhaka a week later, General Niazi reportedly became so alarmed that he not only conveyed to the Indian high command his willingness to surrender, but also agreed to lay down his arms personally before the Indian Army’s commander, General Jagjit Singh Aurora, in a public ceremony attended by members of the Mukti Bahini, Indian military personnel, and representatives of the international media.
It is said that General Niazi personally went to the airport to receive General Aurora and instructed his Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to ensure that Pakistani troops rendered a formal salute and military honours to the Indian commander. Subsequently, on 16 December 1971, the historic surrender ceremony took place at the Race Course Ground in Dhaka, an event witnessed and broadcast by media organisations around the world. During these proceedings, the defeat and surrender of approximately ninety thousand Pakistani military personnel and associated staff were laid bare before the international community.
Thus, for the first time in the history of Muslims, a dark and deeply humiliating chapter was opened in which nearly ninety thousand (90,000) armed soldiers, who identified themselves as Muslims, laid down their weapons before Infidels forces and surrendered.