The year 1971 was a turning point in Pakistan’s history. Simmering for years, tensions between East and West Pakistan reached a boiling point, with General Yahya Khan, the then-President, playing an instrumental role in these events. Many historians believe his actions massively contributed to the eventual separation of East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh.
Let’s go back in time. In the 1970 elections, Bengali nationalist party Awami League led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won a landslide victory. This meant a Bengali party would lead Pakistan, something many in West Pakistan, particularly the military, weren’t comfortable with.
Here’s where things went awry. Instead of a smooth transfer of power, General Yahya Khan chose to delay the results and negotiations, sparking outrage in East Pakistan, who felt their democratic verdict was being undermined.
Khan then made another critical mistake. He launched a brutal military crackdown in East Pakistan in March 1971. The crackdown involved violence, arrests, suppression of dissent, and suspension of civil liberties. This inflamed Bengali nationalist sentiment further, pushing many towards demanding complete independence.
This precipitated a series of events with far-reaching consequences, some of which are:
- Massive Refugee Crisis: The military action led to a massive exodus of millions of refugees fleeing East Pakistan to neighboring India. This created a humanitarian crisis and strained India-Pakistan relations.
- Rise of the Mukti Bahini: The crackdown also led to the formation of the Mukti Bahini, an armed resistance movement fighting for East Pakistani independence. This armed struggle gained international sympathy for the Bengali cause.
- International Backlash: The violence and refugee crisis drew international condemnation towards Pakistan’s military government. This weakened Pakistan’s diplomatic position.
By the end of 1971, Yahya Khan’s decisions had backfired spectacularly. The country was embroiled in a civil war, facing international isolation, and on the verge of losing East Pakistan.
Conclusion:
It’s important to note that history is complex, and there are multiple perspectives on these events. Many, however, believe that General Yahya Khan’s spate of decisions in 1971 greatly contributed to the birth of Bangladesh and the breaking of Pakistan.