Sunday, May 17, 2015

The Separation of East Pakistan

                                    
East Pakistan now known as Bangladesh.It was a province of pakistan from 1947 to 1955 it was known as Bengal. It was named as East Pakistan when West Pakistan was made as one unit.Geographically it is bordered with India to the North,East and West,Burma to its northeast,Nepal and Bhutan by the chicken's neck corridor while with Bay of bengal to the South.Its ares is 147,570 square Kilometers.
                  Separation of East Pakistan was great setback to Pakistan.By 1970,the sentiments of national unity had weakened to the extent that constant conflict between both the provinces erupted into a mass civil disorder and  tragically resulted in brutal and violent amputation of East Pakistan.
                As a result Pakistan's international credit depleted and Pakistan's military  being most powerful institution suffered a lot, Homeland of all the Muslims of the world was divided.
Bengladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh liberation war was a military conflict between east and west Pakistan in 1971 which established The Bengladesh Republic.The War began on 25th March 1971 when Pakistani military led by Yaya Khan began a military operation against Bengali nationalists ,civilians and students,intelligencia, religious minorities and demanding self determination and acceptance of 1970s election results. Army arrested Sheikh Mujeeb ur Rehman ,banned all political parties and News papers.
Pakistan army targeted rural and urban areas  with military raides air strikes,massacres, killings . It promoted religious militant groups like Al-Badar,Alshamas which contributed to the sectarian violence.
Responding Bengali military and paramilitary formed Mukhti bahni led by M.A.G Usmani. and eleven sectors commanders.They waged a massive gorilla war against Pakistani Military.The bengladesh Forces liberated many cities and towns  in initial months of the war before the pakistani military regained power. The bengali resistance secured control of large parts of countryside.Liberation forces got huge economic and military support from Indian governmrnt led by Indra Gandhi. Bengal Liberation War was supported by British, India and America.
War lasted for nine months with the mukhti bani successfully defeated Pakistani forces and detained at night by November. India joined war on 3 December 1971, after Pakistan launched preemptive attacks on north India,subsequently Indo-Pakistan war of 1971 took place on two places,Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea
Bohtan recognised  Bangladesh as separate country on 6 December 1971. Pakistani forces surrendered to the allied forces of Bangladesh and India on 16 December 1971 and 90000 Pakistani soldiers were taken as POWs under the Geneva convention.The majority of UN member states recognized the new country in 1972.


There are a lot of causes behind the separation of East Pakistan,Some of them are mentioned here:
                 


1.     Natural Causes

  •    Geographical Location
             
Both the wings were thousands of miles far from each other,there was no common border,East Pakistan was surrounded by India. India influenced that led to social,economic and Political disparity with East Pakistan.Relations worsened between the both provinces that resulted in separation. 

  •     Languge
            Language of East Pakistanis was Bengali,west Pakistanis spoke Urdu, after the separation of Pakistan. Urdu was declared National language as Quaid-e-Azim in his speech said that only Urdu would be our National Language, This frustrated Bengali as They could only speak Bengali. 

  • Culture

Culture is pattern of living,that include,knowledge,beliefs,norms,values,customs,rules and laws. when a society adopts similar complexes ,has a culture. East ans West Pakistan's culture was not same,They had their own distinct culture. West Pakistan's culture was influencing East Pakistan's culture although East Pakistani were 55% but still they got influenced.

2.Political causes;

  • Location of capital;
After separation from India,Pakistan made Karachi as her capital, east Pakistanis said that they were in majority so capital would be Dahaka. Location of Capital created great imbalance,uneven distribution of wealth and previlage ,and better jobs for West Pakistan because They were able to sway decisions in their favor.
     All the ministries,offices and industries were in Karachi, These things accumulated more advantage to West Pakistan while East Pakistan was deprived of such advantages,because they were thousands of miles away from Capital.

  • Representation
Bengal wanted representation in the legislature on the population bases,while west Pakistan gave representation on equality.

  • Basic democracy
In era of Ayub Khan 40000 basic democrats were to be from both the wings,54% Bengali population shared 40000 ,it was injustice they were in majority they should be given seats on the base of population.

  • Electoral System
West Pakistan wanted separate electorate system while West Pakistan gave Joint electorate.

  • Provincial Autonomy
East Pakistanis wanted and demanded Provincial Autonomy while West Pakistan wanted strong center.Bengalies demanded Provincial autonomy because they were not given population based representation.

  • 6 Points of Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman 
The Awami League view was supported by 75% of the electorate in East Pakistan who voted in the elections in 1970.
Pakistan shall be Federation grooming full autonomy on the basis of 6 Points to each of Federating units.

i. The character of Government shall be Federal and Parliamentary. The representation in the Federal legislature shall be on the basis of population.
ii. The Federal Government shall be responsible only for Defence and Foreign Affairs.
iii. There shall be two separate currencies mutually or freely convertible in each wing for each region.
iv. Fiscal Policy shall be the responsibility of the Federating units.
v. Separate accounts of foreign exchange earning of each of the federating units.
vi. The units shall be empowered to maintain a Para-military fore in order to contribute towards national security.

These were interpreted by West Pakistan as designed to bring about the disintegration of the country.
  • Economic Disparity Between East and West Pakistan

1.The West Pakistan elite favoured the policies of economic growth of the West Pakistan.


2.Most of lucrative import licences were given to the West Pakistan.


3. Share of East Pakistan was about 26% of total investment (Public and Private) during the First Five Years Plan (1955-1960). Total revenue expenditure in East Pakistan was 2.5 billion as compared to 8.9 billion in West Pakistan.


4.The wave of resentment against this disparity had been rising since 1954 elections. But no drastic and significant change was made in policies. This resulted into bitter-opposition and resentment towards the central government.5.Economic Deprivation
East Pakistan was producing Raw material like cotton,Jute etc. they resented it as more finance was being spent on defense, military equipment  and  ,east Pakistanis said that it should spent on building of dams to prevent floods,eradicate poverty and illiteracy a supply of food to and shelter to ever growing population of Pakistan.
And all white collar jobs were being taken by west Pakistanis.

 6.Raw Materials:
Bengal was producing Raw material which was being supplied to India but money earned through Raw material was being used by west Pakistan on defense and military equipment.
7.Economic Institutions;
All the economic institutions like State Bank and most of other banks ,Stock exchange center, chambers of commerce were in West Pakistan while Bengalis were deprived of all such activities.

 8.Per Capita Income
Per capita income of Bengali people was less as compared to West Pakistani.

 9.Educational institutions
After independence there were 27000 educational in Bengal but after 1965 there were only 26000 educational institutions,this example is evident that leadership was not interested in development and growth of east Pakistan.

 Legal Framework order
1. This order was drawn up to provide a basis for the elections for the creation of National and Provincial assemblies and for the drafting of a constitution.
3.National Assembly had to complete the task of framing a constitution within 120 days.
4.After the original failure of the NA to meet in spring of 1971, modifications were introduced into LFO, relieving the assembly of the responsibility of framing a constitution but conferring powers to amend constitution.
5.General Yahya Khan failed to enforce legal frame work order, and the result was the political unrest between the 2 parts of the country.

 Military Operation
Grievances of east Pakistanis should have been addressed through dialogue and negotiations but West Pakistan used force that incited people to respond back. As a result Our Army was captures there ,our strong armies' honor was depleted, it suffered huge humiliation.

 Colonial heritage:
British were our colonial masters. They considered Bengali as their traitors. Our Politicians also adopted same attitude towards them. As Bengali were not trusted by British due to revolt against british in 1757 similarly we also did same.
Power Structure of Pakistan
Power structure of Pakistan is elitest, Pakistan mainly has six elites in Pakistan. following:
1.Land lord
2.Military
3.Bureaucracy
4.Industrial elite
5.religious elite
6.Professional elite
These sections have their strong grip over Pakistani Politics. They always created hurdles in making good relations between east and west Pakistan.

 Role of Ruling Elite

1) Civil Service
2) Military Hierarchy

Their clear ascendancy as a ruling group had long been established, particularly since military coup of Ayub in 1958.
1. This group made all major decisions in terms of economic and defence policies.
2.East Pakistan bitterly complained that there were few East Pakistani officers at highest posts of the civil service. Until 1969 all the higher officers were from West Pakistan or had emigrated from Muslim minority areas of India.
3. Pakistan Army was recruited from 4 districts of Northern Punjab (Rawalpindi, Cambellpur, Jehlum and Gujrat ) and two districts of NWFP (Peshawar and Kohat). 60% Army consisted of Punjabi and 35% Pakhtoon Jawans.
4.The Bengalis were still considered non-martial race.
5.Separation between Ruling elite from the majority of population.
Pakistan bureaucratic and military elite were not only separated from the majority of their population who lived in East Pakistan, but they were also separated in both social and regional terms even from the people of regions like Sindh, Balochistan and Frontier.

 The War of Power Between Bhutto and Mujeeb
The Awami League, by virtue of its over-whelming majority in election, was entitled to establish its government, but Mr. Z.A. Bhutto having the patronage from General Yahya Khan boycotted the session of National Assembly at Dhaka, which was postponed by General Yahya Khan. Mr. Mujeeb-ur-Rehman alleged Yahya Khan with partiality and began to agitate the people for civil war.

Military Operation in East Pakistan
1. Mr. Mujeeb refused to go to Islamabad.
2.His home became centre of all policies and administrative affairs of East Pakistan.
3. On March 23, 1971, a lot of West Pakistanis were massacred and Bangladesh Flag was hoisted instead of Pakistani Flag. The Pakistan Day was celebrated as the Resistance Day.
4. General Tikka Khan was made the Governor of East Pakistan. He successfully crushed the anti-government elements, but could not manage the affairs properly due to the non-cooperation of Bengali bureaucracy who were responsible for the revolt.
5.The military operation brought inexpressible miseries and sufferings to the Bengalis. The result was that Central Government deprived herself of the public support and sympathies.

Unity of Bengali Muslims and Hindus

To establish majority on Pak-legislature, they had to unite with their fellow Bengali Hindus. Therefore, the man like H.S. Sehrwardy was a consistent advocate of joint electorates.

International Causes

  • Hindu Population in Pakistan
Hindu Professors told Hindus about the injustices.

  • Soviet Union,India and USA
We made USSR angry by joining US camp,India broke into war and trapped pakistani soldiers. USA and England supported Bengali liberation war.

   

References:

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