KARACHI, Dec 17: The armed forces’ basic duty is to protect, not to rule over, the country. This was the concerted view of speakers at a seminar on the fall of East Pakistan held here on Friday under the auspices of the Jamaat-i-Islami’s Karachi chapter.

A former chief justice of Pakistan, Justice (r) Sajjad Ali Shah, presided over the event.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that anti-Pakistan forces, led by the US, USSR, Israel and India, had been behind the fall of East Pakistan and were still at work to harm the solidarity of remaining Pakistan.

Describing December 16 as the day of mourning for all Pakistanis, he recalled that people of the then East Pakistan had been subjected to massive atrocities. “What can be said about the future of a country whose constitution is in limbo and democracy wound up.”

In his bid to become a General like de Gaulle, General Ayub Khan had imposed Martial Law. “Had Sheikh Mujibur Rahman been made the prime minister of Pakistan, there would have been a different situation.”

Justice Shah warned that the causes that leading to the cessation of East Pakistan still prevailed and posed a serious threat to the existence and solidarity of Pakistan. He expressed his deep concern over the situation where the rulers, despite realizing the scenario, were fanning highly controversial issues, like the Kalabagh Dam, instead of promoting national unity and integrity.

He stressed the need for revival of the real democracy and return of the armed forces to their barracks.

Naib Amir of the JI Senator Prof Ghafoor Ahmed, speaking as the chief guest, said “the wound of December 16, 1971 is yet to heal up. Every citizen prays that the country is not inflicted with another such wound.”

Recalling the elections held by Gen Yahya Khan’s regime in which the Awami League emerged victorious in East Pakistan and the Pakistan People’s Party in West Pakistan, Prof Ghafoor deplored that an army operation had been launched in East Pakistan in March 1971 during which people of that part of the country had been subjected to worst kind of atrocities. This ultimately resulted in the dismemberment of a country for which millions of people had offered sacrifices.

He also quoted Indira Gandhi’s remarks that Pakistan had split into two within a quarter of a century, and would be divided in many more parts in the next 25 years.

The JI leader cautioned the rulers against creating any such situation, saying “we must have learned from the Dec 16, 1971 debacle. We should ensure that no injustice was done to smaller provinces. If the dictatorial rule prevails further, the country may face another tragedy.”

PML-N leader and a former governor of Sindh Mamnoon Hussain termed the fall of East Pakistan ‘the darkest chapter of the country’s history’ and observed that the tragedy had not happened all of a sudden. He was of the view that a situation gradually leading to the debacle had been developing over a large span of time, but the then rulers had deliberately ignored the causes and factors. He deplored that the history of East Pakistan was now being repeated in North Waziristan.

He said there was no logic behind construction of the Kalabagh Dam in a scenario where three of the four provinces were opposing the project.

JI Karachi Amir Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui told the participants “the Muslim League was formed in Bengal and people of East Pakistan were vanguards of the Pakistan Movement.”

Noted journalist Sajjad Mir, Senator Aslam Buledi and Dr Abdul Wassi Shakir were among others who spoke at the seminar.—PPI