Nations that refuse to learn from past mistakes and find scapegoats for sins committed by few, end up in further turmoil. The last straw in growing discontent of Bengalis was imposition of One Unit, reducing their majority and stage was set for separation, when military action was ordered by Yahya, instead of respecting democratic verdict. The buck stopped with CMLA Gen Yahya Khan who having promised election, refused to bow before will of people on one pretext or another. The rest is history. MAJ had promised a modern democratic welfare state with self-rule, which was denied and replaced by authoritarian military dictatorship. For Pakistan to survive and flourish, democracy is vital life line with freedom of expression, rule of law and supremacy of constitution and right to dissent. It were intrigues of British Indian Army Officer IM (Iskandar Mirza), a direct descendent of Mir Jaffar, who joined in 1920 and was posted in Indian Political Service, rising to rank of Mag General in 1950 and appointed Secretary Defense, simultaneously serving as Colonel Commandant Military Police. IM continued his liaison with British Indian Army until 1954. Against expressed wishes of Quaid, IM after MAJ’s death was instrumental after unfortunate fatal air crash of Gen Iftikhar in lobbying to bypass senior most Maj Gen Akbar Khan, Ishfakul Majid, Raza etc.
Malik T Ali,
Lahore
