Fall of Dhaka

As it was the era of the Cold War, and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) was closer to Southeast Asia, America made Pakistan a member of the South East Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO). The purpose of SEATO, created in 1954, was to prevent the spread of communism in the Southeast Asian region. Similarly, Pakistan was also a member of the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO), a US-led alliance to stop communism from entering Southwest Asia (Middle East). A vital point to be kept in mind here is that Pakistan was the only developing country that was made a US ally, both in SEATO and CENTO. It was, therefore, obvious that the USSR would be taking Pakistan as an enemy state or a member of the opposition bloc, i.e. anti-communist group. On the other hand, the USSR was almost a neighbouring country, separated by the Wakhan Belt only, which is now in Tajikistan. The most critical factor here was the hidden intervention by the USSR in East Pakistan through multiple means, e.g. by using the land area to infiltrate and wilful support of all types by India.
Pakistan had seven prime ministers from 1947 to 1958. The country’s first constitution was enacted in 1956 – after a delay of almost 9 years. Both these things were the principal regrets of the political crisis of that era. Along with this, Iskander Mirza’s martial law, with the support and collaboration of Ayub Khan, was a big blow. Readers need to hold a critical eye on the character of Iskander Mirza, who proved to be loyal to the UK rather than Pakistan. This martial law and dictatorship gave the people of East Pakistan another cause for alienation from and opposition to West Pakistan. They started feeling alienated and the perception of ‘one nation, with two countries’, started weakening, especially due to the fact that the numerical strength of the military was West Pakistan-based.
The next factor was acute economic crises, since Pakistan, from the very first day of its existence, was not given full share of national wealth and military equipment by India. On the other hand, the Indian war frenzy forced Pakistan to spend the largest part of its national budget on defence. Since Pakistan, initially, spent 65-70 percent of its budget on defence, it was left with very limited resources to run the economy and promote public welfare. In a country grappling with economic crises, poverty and other such vices, it becomes difficult to maintain faith in democracy or government. Therefore, it was propagated among the people of East Pakistan that the cause of their poverty was West Pakistan – and the army.
India capitalized on the opportunity to expand its interventionist and subversive activities in East Pakistan and it spread evil also because East Pakistan bordered India on three sides, while on the fourth side was the sea. So, India was the only neighbouring country of East Pakistan. In addition, the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, remained in office for 17 long years. Yes, Jawaharlal Nehru remained India’s premier till 1964 and thus his ruling Congress party got a great opportunity to turn the creation of Pakistan into a disaster with full frenzy in East Pakistan, the biggest manifestation of which was the Mukti Bahini movement – In the recent past, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi confessed in a brazen and triumphant manner that India played a [bad] role in the separation of East Pakistan.
The next biggest, and perhaps most decisive, role was played by the two then-world powers, i.e. USSR and USA, which united and agreed to break Pakistan. Yes, Russia was against Pakistan, but America also felt it was better that Pakistan be divided into two parts. Russia’s top intelligence official Yuri Bezmenov has admitted in his book “Deception Was My Job” that Russia was fully involved in persuading and using Sheikh Mujeeb to rebel. In this regard, it becomes more concrete that secession was not only a decision of the majority of people but also of the KGB, the secret agency of the USSR. To understand this, we need to read the interview of this KGB officer who remained deputed in India. He claims that Sheikh Mujeeb was on the payroll of the KGB, and he was later killed by KGB agents in his army. After the secession of East Pakistan, India wanted to attack West Pakistan (today’s Pakistan) as well, but US President Richard Nixon stopped Indira Gandhi by saying “Enough is Enough” over the phone. This proves that the separation of East Pakistan was not a regional but an international conspiracy in which Yahya and useful idiots like Mujeeb were used as pawns.
Readers, do keep in mind that the image of four crops still exists in the national emblem of Pakistan. Wheat and cotton represented West Pakistan while tea and flax represented East Pakistan.
Pakistan has not changed it to date!
The writer is a columnist and fiction writer.