KARACHI: A book titled Gen Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan: The Rise and Fall of a Soldier – 1947-1971 by retired Brig A.R. Siddiqui and organised by Tareekh Foundation Trust was launched online on Thursday evening.

Speaking on the occasion, Brig Siddiqui said the central idea of the book is about jihad and the Pakistan army. He then gave a detailed account of the armed forces in the post-independence scenario from the time when the country came into being to the first constitution presented in 1956 to the 1965 and 1971 wars — and Gen Yahya Khan’s role in the latter war. In his concluding remarks he pointed out that the 1971 war was avoidable.

Eminent historian Dr Mubarak Ali said recently the date Dec 16 came and went but no discussion was heard in Pakistan. “We don’t use the phrase ‘independence of Bangladesh’; instead we say the ‘Dhaka Fall’ [suqut-i-Dhaka].’ It’s time we accepted that Bangladesh became independent. Instead of doing that we have taken this whole thing [episode] out of our history [books], he said.

Expanding further on how things are taken away from facts, the historian argued when a movement was taking place against Gen Ayub Khan, as per constitution he should have given the reins of power to the speaker; but he gave it to the army. He in a way went against the law.

Dr Ali, talking about the former East Pakistan, said its leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman belonged to the middle class; and the middle class are connected with the masses, whereas in West Pakistan, the leadership was with the feudal lords. He added ‘national interest’ is something which can be used whichever way one likes.

Dr Huma Baqai, who has written the preface to the book, highlighted that we’re still discussing the issue [of 1971] 40 years after it took place. It wasn’t [just] that Pakistan was in a complicated relationship with India; it was also that Pakistan was in a complicated relationship with itself: the concept of jihad, the civil-military relationship, the crisis of leadership and the control of the elite of Pakistan over its bureaucracy etc, were some of the factors.

Speaking on the leadership crisis and referring to the author’s statement in the book she commented, “Yahya was a soldier and not a warrior.” But more importantly he was not a leader and definitely not a leader in times of crises.

Durriya Kazi said she read the book in two sessions. When she first started reading the book she stopped [because of the contents]. She then briefly talked about the characters and situations given in the book.

Tasneem Siddiqui said that the events of 1971 cannot be looked at separately. Whenever they’re discussed, subjects such as Gen Yahya Khan’s colourful life and figures (how many Bengalis were killed or how many Biharis were killed by Bengalis, etc) are raised. The fact is that Bengalis played a key role in the creation of Pakistan in 1947. But they weren’t treated well in Pakistan. The Bengali language wasn’t given its due right which was why the first riots happened in 1952. Bengalis loved Pakistan. Now, [after 1971] the way Bengalis have worked to take their country, Bangladesh, forward is commendable.

The launch was moderated by Dr Riaz Shaikh, dean Social Sciences, SZABIST.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2020