This is the eighth installment in Kapil Komireddi’s series, Pakistan: Anatomy of a Failed State. Click here for the rest of the series.
No individual bears greater responsibility for the genocide of 1971 than Zulfi Bhutto. A feudal landlord from Sindh, Zulfi was a convivial bigot. As the results were declared, Zulfi used his hold on west Pakistan to bring the government to a grinding halt – while tantalizing the former military ruler Yahya Khan with the hope of power-sharing in a Zulfi-led government.
The regime’s refusal to convene the National Assembly after the Awami League’s electoral victory led to mass agitation in East Pakistan. Thousands of protesters poured into the streets of Dhaka, the eastern capital. Army boots had begun landing in the port-city of Chittagong by early 1971. General Tikka Khan, known as the “butcher of Baluchistan” for his brutal suppression of insurgency in Pakistan’s Baluch regions, was sent to command them.
Yahya himself flew to East Pakistan in March to hold talks with the Awami League. Zulfi followed him on 21 March. The East Pakistanis were willing to make concessions, but demanded the prime ministership that they had legitimately won. Zulfi dismissed it as a “Bengali ultimatum.” The following day, Awami League leader Mujibur Rahman met Zulfi at Yahya’s official residence and pleaded with him, the loser in the election, to be sensitive to the demands of the majority. Mujib even told Zulfi that he could look after the western wing of the country. As Mujib left, Zulfi returned inside. Mujib’s demands would result in two Pakistans, he told Yahya. During the election, Zulfi had stirred up crowds with slogans of Muslim solidarity. “We shall wage a jihad for the cause of Islam,” he told them. “If Muslim blood is being mercilessly shed in India, you cannot just wring your hands. If atrocities are being committed on the Muslims in the Middle East, you will have to do something about it.” Now, having firmly placed the fate of his own country’s Muslims in the hands of a genocidal military, Zulfi retired to his suite.
On 23 March, 1971,, the 31st anniversary of M.A. Jinnah’s proclamation of the idea of Pakistan was marked by the government. The following day, Mujib was arrested and flown to West Pakistan. Jinnah’s legacy was about to unfold.
More to come…
1 response so far
1 MrPerkins // Mar 15, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Mr Komireddies when writing a journalistic piece please try to …..at the very least have some pretension of journalistic integrity with adherence to the facts.
As a seasoned journalist in South Asia and old India hand, frankly I have become rather fascinated with this Indian originated soundbite of “Failed State” when used to describe your fierce rival Pakistan.
Perhaps you fellows ought to look in the mirror and address your own “Mother Indias” failure as a state. Over 800 million living in abject poverty way below the slumdog existence in portrayed in your most famous film. That is more people drpived of clean water, electricity and a decent life than any other country on this earth.
Your article here tells shamefaced lies devoid of balance and integrity of which you should hang your head. WHat you dont mention is that from the very beggining of Pakistans existence, India by fair and foul means sought to aid and abett its destruction and does so to this day.
Mujib ur Rehman was recruited onto the Indian intelligence services payroll to be a rabble rouser
and dissent sower. The affluent Hindu 20% of East Pakistan was used to oppress the muslim majority and deny them education and opportunities while blaming West Pakistan for this situation.
The “precious trade of Jute” wasnt as profitable as you make out. East Pakistani jute was of inferior quality.
The Indian backed Mukhti Bahini commited gross genocide against non bengali Biharis and Loyal East Pakistanis who were slaughtered ruthlessly. 45,000 West Pakistani troops held out for 9 months against 50,000 indian troops masquerading as Mukhti Bahini, backed by Indian air forces, 500,000 Muhkti Bahini traitors and with limited access to supplies, water and food. Yet after 9 months of battle The Indian army still couldnt win a military victory. The final victory was political not military and due to the doble dealing of messrs Bhutto and Yahya Khan who had decided to let Pakistan split in order to keep their grip on power.
You conveniently ignore that India as a state will not be content until it annexxes back Pakistan and Bangladesh and Bhutan and Tibet etc etc. This is all part of the greater Mahabharata plan Indians such as yourself subscribe to. India has started wars with all its neighbours due to its incorrigable thirst for territory in which to house its huge swathes of uneducated and backwards masses.
I wouldnt paint such a rosy picture of Indias secular credentials either without mentioning how hundreds of muslims were burnt alive in Gujarat, and muslim temples are routinely bulldozed to make way for Hindu temples, Sikh places of worship are desecrated and the Assamese and Kashmiri populations brutally suppressed. Not my idea of a democracy.
I guess that is something you have in common with your little zionist bedfellow David Frum both of you are deceitful mouthpieces for oppressive brutal regimes committing genocide. In Frums case he is a zionist jew and in your case you are a shameless Mahabharata advocator . Shameful how you turn a blind eye to the genocide Indian troops continue to commit in Kashmir in the proceess violating UN resolutions for a plebicite.
Also your nation in its lust for territory has fought two wars with China where it was defeated easily both times.
Of course you seek to dismantle Pakistan to satisfy your lust for more land and power. You will resort to lies, deceit and treachoury as has been the Indian way in geo-politics for so long. No wonder India and Israel make such bedfellows on this website.
I doubt you will have the integrity to own up or even keep my comments on the site. Rather no doubt you will respond with more lies and insults to ones intelligence Mr Kappareddies.
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