A. A. K. Niazi
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi HJ
, MC
,; c. 1915 - 2 February 2004), was a former three-star general in the Pakistan Army
who was the last unified commander of Pakistan Armed Forces's Eastern Military High Command
in East-Pakistan
. General Niazi, in 1971, was in charge of Eastern contingent of the Pakistan Armed Forces during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War and Bangladesh Liberation War
, alongside with Vice-Admiral Mohammad Shariff
, Commander of Eastern Naval Command.
Niazi, a lieutenant-general, surrendered his forces of nearly 93,000 men to the Indian Armed Forces
and the guerrilla armed resistance force, the Mukti Bahini
. General Niazi stated that he had acted according to the orders of the West-Pakistan Military High Command, under General Yahya Khan. Following the war, other parties viewed him as personally responsible for the surrender. He was also accused of being involved in Pakistan's human rights violations in Bangladesh. General Niazi was personally indicted of smuggling
and rape
by the Hamoodur Rehman commission, led by Chief Justice Hamoodur Rahman
. He was subsequently relieved of his position in the Army by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
. Throughout the remainder of his life, Niazi had sought court-martial
to prove his innocence, but was never charged. Filed petitions, through his military lawyers in both civilian Supreme Court
and the prestigious JAG Branch
of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Before his death, he authored the book "The Betrayal of East Pakistan".
Pashtun
family in the Punjab British State
, British Indian Empire. In 1932, he enlisted in the British Indian Army
as a junior non-commission officer and was sent to Indian Military Academy
where he gained B.Sc.
in Military science
. Niazi also did a paratrooper course while his stay at the Academy. Upon completing his training and studies, Niazi gained officiate (Second Lieutenant
) commissioned in 5th Paratrooper of the Punjab Regiment
in 1937. He served well Pacific Theatre of World War II
.
. During this period, the 14th Army Group had halted the offense against the Japanese Imperial Army at the Battle of Imphal
and elsewhere in bitterly fought battles along the Burma front. General Slim described his gallantry as his action completely surprised the enemy and wrote a lengthy report to the General Headquarters, India about his judgment of the best course of action. They agreed that his skill in taking the enemy completely by surprise, as well as his personal leadership of his men, coolness under fire, ability to change tactics, create diversions, extricate his wounded and withdraw his men were the best course of action. At the Burmese front, Niazi impressed his commanding officers when, as Lieutenant, he commanded a platoon that initiated an offense against the Japanese Imperial Army at the Bauthi-Daung tunnels.
His gallantry had impressed the GHQ India who wanted to decorated him with prestigious Distinguished Service Order
, however, Niazi was not at the rank to receive such decoration. During the front, Niazi gained the title "Tiger" which was given him by Brigadier
D.F.W. Warren, Commanding officer of the 161st Infantry Division of the British Army
, after he took final participation in a ferocious fight with the Japanese. After the conflict, the young Lieutenant Niazi was decorated with a Military Cross
by the British Government. His Military Cross was earned for actions along the border with Burma, in which he showed great leadership, judgement, quick-thinking, and calmness under pressure.
The British Government honoured Niazi for "personal leadership, bravery and complete disregard for his own personal safety". On 15 December 1944, the Viceroy Lord Wavell flew to Imphal and, in the presence of Lord Mountbatten, knighted Slim and his corps commanders Stopford
, Scoones
, and Christison
. Only two Indian officers were chosen to be decorated by the Viceroy at that ceremony — ‘Tiger’ Niazi was one of them and the other being Lieutenant Sam Manekshaw
.
after the Indian partition
in 1947. Niazi quickly rose through the ranks, earning various awards including the Hilal-i-Jurat
twice.
In 1965, as Colonel and commanding officer of the 5th Paratrooper, Punjab Regiment, activily participated in Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
. During the conflict, Niazi was promoted one-star general and as Brigadier-General, Niazi commanded the 14th Paratrooper Brigade, 50th Airborne Division during operations in Kashmir
and Sialkot
. The 14th Paratrooper Brigade and General Niazi gained international fame after the success of the Chawinda counter-offense
. The counter offense resulted in ultimate success and halted the Indian Army troop rotation further inside Pakistan. After the war, General Niazi was made Martial Law Administrator
of both Karachi
and Lahore
. In 1968, Niazi was promoted to two-star Major-General and was made GOC
of the 52nd Mechanized Division based in Karachi during this period. In 1970, Niazi commanded the 50th Airborne Division and by 1971, Niazi had reached the rank of three-star rank of Lieutenant-General in the Pakistan Army.
, following a Pakistani military crackdown on Bengali intellectuals. On March 25, Searchlight
, planned and enforced by Lieutenant-General Tikka Khan
and Major-General Rao Farman Ali
, had turned the East Pakistan population completely hostile against the Pakistan Armed Forces and Pakistan was condemned by the International community for taking the military action. There is no public evidence that General Niazi publicly condemned the military operation on March 25, 1971. However, during the meeting, General Niazi only comdemn the operation after its outcomes surfaced with mild words. Therefore, Niazi prevented to criticize Pakistan Army's brutal action in East-Pakistan. On April 1971, General Niazi assumed the Command of Pakistan Army, as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, as he replaced General Tikka Khan, the Butcher of Bengal. Throughout this period, Niazi supervised and headed the military actions and operations led by the Pakistan Army in the East-Pakistan. On November 31 of 1971, General Niazi received a message from General Abdul Hamid Khan
, Chief of Generals Staff, with Hamid stating, "The whole nation is proud of you and you have their full support." On December 3, the Pakistan Air Force
launched Chengiz Khan
without even notifying the Eastern Military High Command.
. General Yahya Khan immediately made him as the Martial Law Administrator of East Pakistan and the Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command
. General Yahya Khan sent him a telegram message stating, "You have fought a heroic battle against overwhelming odds. The nation is proud of you …You have now reached a stage where further resistance is no longer humanly possible nor will it serve any useful purpose… You should now take all necessary measures to stop the fighting and preserve the lives of armed forces personnel, all those from West Pakistan and all loyal elements".
The situation in East-Pakistan
was extremely difficult, as Bengali forces in the Pakistani Army had gone into mutiny
, large segments of the population were hostile, and an independence movement was gaining steam among the Bengalis. Despite this, Niazi and Mohammad Shariff were able to reaffirm Pakistan's control over wide parts of East Pakistan
territory, opening the window for a political solution to the turmoil - this would not come to fruition.
However, on December 16 of 1971, East-Pakistan Intelligence Directorate (EPID) learned the Indo-Bengali siege of Dhaka. Niazi appealed for a cease-fire but Sam Manekshaw set the deadline for the surrender. Failing to surrender on time, a siege on Dhaka will take place. Not wanting to deterioration of the city, General Niazi signed an instrument of surrender
with his counterpart Lieutenant-General Jagjit Singh Aurora
, General Officer Commanding-in-chief of Eastern Command of the Indian Army. The meeting was set at Ramna Race Course in Dhaka at 16:31 IST on 16 December 1971, and General Niazi surrendered the Eastern Military High Command's nearly 93,000 personnel to the hands of India.
forces, who were employed against the Mukti Bahini
(guerilla forces) and were used to kill, terrorize people and destroy rural villages. His vows against the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini were notorious. The crackdown against the Bengalis had gone too far, and the result saw Pakistan Combatant forces involved in a guerrilla war
with the Bengali Mukti Bahini
, under C-in-C General Osmany, Bangladesh
Forces. The Pakistan Combatant Forces were unprepared and untrained for such warfare. After a preemptive strike on the Indian territories in the western front, a full-scale invasion of East Pakistan by India resulted in isolation for Niazi's and Shariff's forces being ambushed by the Mukti Bahini
, and with the absence of external aid, eventual surrender.
, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces
and the Mukti Bahini Allied Forces just after 1,300 casualties from the Pakistani side. General Niazi signed the instrument of surrender
resulting in his surrender along with a sizable number of Pakistan Armed Forces personnel and intelligence civilians officers who were taken prisoners (upwards of 93,000 including about 34000 regular army soldiers). This was the largest number of POWs since World War II
and included some senior government officials. Most would remain in captivity for more than three years after the conflict ended as they were to be tried for crimes such as rape and murder of the Bengali populace. General Niazi was symbolically the last prisoner of war to cross back to Pakistan, after Prime minister
Bhutto
signed a treaty
with his counter-part Indira Gandhi
, Indian Premier. Such actions symbolized his reputation as a "soldier's general" but did not shield him from the scorn he faced upon his return to Pakistan, where he was blamed for the surrender. Upon his return, Bhutto stripped Niazi's military rank, and the pension
usually accorded to retired soldiers. Bhutto also stripped his military decorations and discharged him.
of Supreme Court
— reportedly revealed that Niazi was guilty of several misconducts during his tenure as Martial Law Administrator in East Pakistan. It said that the General was indulging in paan
(chewing tobacco
) smuggling from East to West-Pakistan and sexual excesses, including, possibly rape
as stated by witnesses. In order to clear his name, Niazi sought a court martial from JAG Branch
, but it was never granted by Bhutto and General Tikka Khan who was the current Chief of Army Staff. The former general would try to take up politics in order to clear himself, but he was jailed in order to quell such actions by General Zia-ul-Haq, the Chief Martial Law Administrator of Pakistan. In 1998, he released The Betrayal of East Pakistan, where he blamed General Yahya Khan
, General Rao Farman Ali, General Tikka Khan and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for the separation of East Pakistan. Niazi did not accept Hamoodur Rahman Commission as he believed that it was prepared by one of the guilty parties (Bhutto) and that it was no alternative to a court-martial, where accused persons are allowed to defend themselves, bring in witnesses, cross examine etc. Niazi claimed that a court-martial would have brought out the names of those who later rose to unthinkable heights, as it is easier to find one scapegoat who would help spare dozens. As others have made similar claims in relation to the disgraceful treatment to the scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan
. Niazi lived out his life in Lahore
, his wife predeceasing him.
He was also noted for making audacious statements like "Dacca will fall only over my dead body".http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/1971/Dec12/index.html According to Pakistani author, Akbar S. Ahmed, he had even hatched a far-fetched plan to "cross into India and march up the Ganges and capture Delhi
and thus link up with Pakistan."http://www.pakistan-facts.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20030403171005709 This he called the "Niazi corridor theory" explaining "It was a corridor that the Quaid-e-Azam demanded and I will obtain it by force of arms". In a fantasy plan that he presented to the central government in June 1971, he stated in an immatured manner in his own words that "I would capture Agartala and a big chunk of Assam
, and develop multiple thrusts into Indian Bengal. We would cripple the economy of Calcutta by blowing up bridges and sinking boats and ships in Hooghly River and create panic amongst the civilians. One air raid
on Calcutta would set a sea of humanity in motion to get out of Calcutta”.
|-
Hilal-i-Jurat
The Hilal-i-Jur'at Various official sources that are highly reputable spell the name of the medal differently, so the Pakistan Army website spelling is being taken as the official spelling...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
,; c. 1915 - 2 February 2004), was a former three-star general in the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
who was the last unified commander of Pakistan Armed Forces's Eastern Military High Command
Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan
The Eastern Military High Command of the Pakistan Armed Forces was a field-level military command headed by an appointed senior 3-star officer, who was designated the Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command...
in East-Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
. General Niazi, in 1971, was in charge of Eastern contingent of the Pakistan Armed Forces during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War and Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
, alongside with Vice-Admiral Mohammad Shariff
Mohammad Shariff
Admiral Mohammad Shariff, , , is a retired four-star naval officer and a career war veteran. Admiral Mohammad Shariff took over the command of Pakistan Navy on 21 March, 1979, when a three-star vice-admiral, Hasan Hafeez Ahmed, died in office...
, Commander of Eastern Naval Command.
Niazi, a lieutenant-general, surrendered his forces of nearly 93,000 men to the Indian Armed Forces
Indian Armed Forces
The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force, supported by three paramilitary forces and various inter-service institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command.The President of India is...
and the guerrilla armed resistance force, the Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini , also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs, collectively refers to the armed organizations who fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was dynamically formed by Bengali regulars and civilians after the proclamation of Bangladesh's independence on...
. General Niazi stated that he had acted according to the orders of the West-Pakistan Military High Command, under General Yahya Khan. Following the war, other parties viewed him as personally responsible for the surrender. He was also accused of being involved in Pakistan's human rights violations in Bangladesh. General Niazi was personally indicted of smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
and rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
by the Hamoodur Rehman commission, led by Chief Justice Hamoodur Rahman
Hamoodur Rahman
Chief Justice Hamoodur Rahman, Urdu: حمود الرحمن) was Pakistan-Bengali jurist and academia, a legal educator, who formerly served as the 7th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University as well as Professor of Law and Justice at the Karachi University...
. He was subsequently relieved of his position in the Army by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
. Throughout the remainder of his life, Niazi had sought court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
to prove his innocence, but was never charged. Filed petitions, through his military lawyers in both civilian Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Pakistan
The Supreme Court is the apex court in Pakistan's judicial hierarchy, the final arbiter of legal and constitutional disputes. The Supreme Court has a permanent seat in Islamabad. It has number of Branch Registries where cases are heard. It has a number of de jure powers which are outlined in the...
and the prestigious JAG Branch
Judge Advocate General Branch
The Judge Advocate General Branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces is composed of Pakistan's Military senior officers, lawyers and judges who provide legal services to the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines at all levels of command...
of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Before his death, he authored the book "The Betrayal of East Pakistan".
Early life
Niazi was born in 1915 to a GhilzaiGhilzai
Ghilzai are the largest Pashtun tribal confederacy found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are also known historically as Ghilji, Khilji, Ghalji, Ghilzye, and possibly Gharzai...
Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
family in the Punjab British State
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
, British Indian Empire. In 1932, he enlisted in the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
as a junior non-commission officer and was sent to Indian Military Academy
Indian Military Academy
The Indian Military Academy, Dehradun is the officer training school of the Indian Army. IMA was established in 1932.-Demands for an Indian military training academy:...
where he gained B.Sc.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Military science
Military science
Military science is the process of translating national defence policy to produce military capability by employing military scientists, including theorists, researchers, experimental scientists, applied scientists, designers, engineers, test technicians, and military personnel responsible for...
. Niazi also did a paratrooper course while his stay at the Academy. Upon completing his training and studies, Niazi gained officiate (Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
) commissioned in 5th Paratrooper of the Punjab Regiment
Punjab Regiment
Punjab Regiment may refer to the following existing units:*Punjab Regiment *Punjab Regiment From 1922 to 1947, the British Indian Army included 6 numbered Punjab Regiments:*1st Punjab Regiment*2nd Punjab Regiment*8th Punjab Regiment...
in 1937. He served well Pacific Theatre of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
World War: Burma Theater
On June 11 of 1942, Niazi was sent to the Kekrima area of the Assam-Burma front. That spring, he was part of the 14th Army Offensive Group of the British Army, commanded by General William Joseph SlimWilliam Slim, 1st Viscount Slim
Field Marshal William Joseph "Bill"'Slim, 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DSO, MC, KStJ was a British military commander and the 13th Governor-General of Australia....
. During this period, the 14th Army Group had halted the offense against the Japanese Imperial Army at the Battle of Imphal
Battle of Imphal
The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July 1944. Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India, but were driven back into Burma with heavy losses...
and elsewhere in bitterly fought battles along the Burma front. General Slim described his gallantry as his action completely surprised the enemy and wrote a lengthy report to the General Headquarters, India about his judgment of the best course of action. They agreed that his skill in taking the enemy completely by surprise, as well as his personal leadership of his men, coolness under fire, ability to change tactics, create diversions, extricate his wounded and withdraw his men were the best course of action. At the Burmese front, Niazi impressed his commanding officers when, as Lieutenant, he commanded a platoon that initiated an offense against the Japanese Imperial Army at the Bauthi-Daung tunnels.
His gallantry had impressed the GHQ India who wanted to decorated him with prestigious Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, however, Niazi was not at the rank to receive such decoration. During the front, Niazi gained the title "Tiger" which was given him by Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
D.F.W. Warren, Commanding officer of the 161st Infantry Division of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, after he took final participation in a ferocious fight with the Japanese. After the conflict, the young Lieutenant Niazi was decorated with a Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
by the British Government. His Military Cross was earned for actions along the border with Burma, in which he showed great leadership, judgement, quick-thinking, and calmness under pressure.
The British Government honoured Niazi for "personal leadership, bravery and complete disregard for his own personal safety". On 15 December 1944, the Viceroy Lord Wavell flew to Imphal and, in the presence of Lord Mountbatten, knighted Slim and his corps commanders Stopford
Frederick Stopford
Lieutenant General Sir Frederick William Stopford, KCB, KCMG, KCVO was a British Army officer.-Military career:...
, Scoones
Geoffrey Scoones
General Sir Geoffrey Allen Percival Scoones KCB, KBE, CSI, DSO, MC was a general in the British Indian Army during the Second World War. His younger brother was Reginald "Cully" Scoones.-Military career:...
, and Christison
Philip Christison
General Sir Philip Christison, 4th Baronet GBE CB DSO MC was a British military commander of the Second World War.-Early life and career:...
. Only two Indian officers were chosen to be decorated by the Viceroy at that ceremony — ‘Tiger’ Niazi was one of them and the other being Lieutenant Sam Manekshaw
Sam Manekshaw
Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, MC "Sam Bahadur" was a Field Marshal of the Indian Army. His distinguished military career spanned four decades and five wars...
.
Niazi between the Indo-Pakistan wars
Niazi opted the Pakistan's citizenship and joined the newly-formed Pakistan ArmyPakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
after the Indian partition
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947. Niazi quickly rose through the ranks, earning various awards including the Hilal-i-Jurat
Hilal-i-Jurat
The Hilal-i-Jur'at Various official sources that are highly reputable spell the name of the medal differently, so the Pakistan Army website spelling is being taken as the official spelling...
twice.
In 1965, as Colonel and commanding officer of the 5th Paratrooper, Punjab Regiment, activily participated in Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
. During the conflict, Niazi was promoted one-star general and as Brigadier-General, Niazi commanded the 14th Paratrooper Brigade, 50th Airborne Division during operations in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
and Sialkot
Sialkot
Sialkot is a city in Pakistan situated in the north-east of the Punjab province at the foothills of snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. It is the capital of Sialkot District. The city is about north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu.The...
. The 14th Paratrooper Brigade and General Niazi gained international fame after the success of the Chawinda counter-offense
Battle of Chawinda
The Battle of Chawinda was a part of the Sialkot Campaign in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. It was one of the largest tank battles since the Battle of Kursk in World War II....
. The counter offense resulted in ultimate success and halted the Indian Army troop rotation further inside Pakistan. After the war, General Niazi was made Martial Law Administrator
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
of both Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
and Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
. In 1968, Niazi was promoted to two-star Major-General and was made GOC
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
of the 52nd Mechanized Division based in Karachi during this period. In 1970, Niazi commanded the 50th Airborne Division and by 1971, Niazi had reached the rank of three-star rank of Lieutenant-General in the Pakistan Army.
East-Pakistan Disaster
In 1971, a period of political turmoil in Pakistan, Lieutenant-General Niazi was the highly decorated and most honored officer in the Pakistan Army. In April 1971, Lieutenant-General Amir Abdullah Khan Nazi was sent to East-PakistanEast Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
, following a Pakistani military crackdown on Bengali intellectuals. On March 25, Searchlight
Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight was a planned military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in the erstwhile East Pakistan in March 1971. Ordered by the central government in West Pakistan, this was seen as the sequel to "Operation Blitz" which had been...
, planned and enforced by Lieutenant-General Tikka Khan
Tikka Khan
General Tikka Khan, HJ, HQA, SPk, was a senior four-star general in the Pakistan Army who served as the first Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 3 March 1972 to 1 March 1976. Before his four-star assignment, Khan was a Martial Law Administrator of erstwhile East-Pakistan...
and Major-General Rao Farman Ali
Rao Farman Ali
Major General Rao Farman Ali Khan was Pakistan Army general during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. He took commission in an artillery regiment in 1941 and later commanded the 26 Field Regiment...
, had turned the East Pakistan population completely hostile against the Pakistan Armed Forces and Pakistan was condemned by the International community for taking the military action. There is no public evidence that General Niazi publicly condemned the military operation on March 25, 1971. However, during the meeting, General Niazi only comdemn the operation after its outcomes surfaced with mild words. Therefore, Niazi prevented to criticize Pakistan Army's brutal action in East-Pakistan. On April 1971, General Niazi assumed the Command of Pakistan Army, as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, as he replaced General Tikka Khan, the Butcher of Bengal. Throughout this period, Niazi supervised and headed the military actions and operations led by the Pakistan Army in the East-Pakistan. On November 31 of 1971, General Niazi received a message from General Abdul Hamid Khan
Abdul Hamid Khan (general)
General Abdul Hamid Khan, HQA, SPk, SQA, was a Pakistan Army General. He was the Chief of Staff Pakistan Army under President General Yahya Khan during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.-1965 Battle of Khem Karan:...
, Chief of Generals Staff, with Hamid stating, "The whole nation is proud of you and you have their full support." On December 3, the Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
launched Chengiz Khan
Operation Chengiz Khan
Operation Chengiz Khan was the code name assigned to the pre-emptive strikes carried out by the Pakistani Air Force on the forward airbases and radar installations of the Indian Air Force on the evening of 3 December 1971, and marked the formal initiation of hostilities of the Indo-Pakistani war...
without even notifying the Eastern Military High Command.
Eastern Military High Command
Following the resignation of Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan on 7 March 1971, as the Unified Commander of Eastern Military High Command and Martial Law Administrator, the General Yahya Khan's military government was unable to find an active duty officer who was willing to take this task. During this 9 month period, several officers assumed the command but was repeatedly removed as they were brutally failed to restore the order. And, many other high and senior officers of Pakistan Armed Forces were cautious on the posting and none of the senior officers were willing to take the charge of the East Pakistan. Meanwhile, on December 14, General Niazi himself volunteered for the job of Martial Law Administrator of East PakistanEast Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
. General Yahya Khan immediately made him as the Martial Law Administrator of East Pakistan and the Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command
Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan
The Eastern Military High Command of the Pakistan Armed Forces was a field-level military command headed by an appointed senior 3-star officer, who was designated the Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command...
. General Yahya Khan sent him a telegram message stating, "You have fought a heroic battle against overwhelming odds. The nation is proud of you …You have now reached a stage where further resistance is no longer humanly possible nor will it serve any useful purpose… You should now take all necessary measures to stop the fighting and preserve the lives of armed forces personnel, all those from West Pakistan and all loyal elements".
The situation in East-Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
was extremely difficult, as Bengali forces in the Pakistani Army had gone into mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
, large segments of the population were hostile, and an independence movement was gaining steam among the Bengalis. Despite this, Niazi and Mohammad Shariff were able to reaffirm Pakistan's control over wide parts of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
territory, opening the window for a political solution to the turmoil - this would not come to fruition.
However, on December 16 of 1971, East-Pakistan Intelligence Directorate (EPID) learned the Indo-Bengali siege of Dhaka. Niazi appealed for a cease-fire but Sam Manekshaw set the deadline for the surrender. Failing to surrender on time, a siege on Dhaka will take place. Not wanting to deterioration of the city, General Niazi signed an instrument of surrender
Instrument of Surrender (1971)
The Instrument of Surrender was signed at Ramna Race Course in Dhaka at one past five in the evening , local time, on December 16, 1971, by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, General Officer Commanding in Chief of Eastern Command of the Indian Army and Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan...
with his counterpart Lieutenant-General Jagjit Singh Aurora
Jagjit Singh Aurora
Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971...
, General Officer Commanding-in-chief of Eastern Command of the Indian Army. The meeting was set at Ramna Race Course in Dhaka at 16:31 IST on 16 December 1971, and General Niazi surrendered the Eastern Military High Command's nearly 93,000 personnel to the hands of India.
Aftermath: Revelation
It was only after returning to Pakistan as empty-handed prisoner of war did Niazi criticize Tikka and Rao Farman. Niazi himself admitted that he raised the RazakarRazakar
Razakar is an Urdu word for volunteer and may historically refer to:*Razakars : Islamist East Pakistani militia that aided the Pakistan Army against the Mukti Bahini during the Bangladesh Liberation War...
forces, who were employed against the Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini , also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs, collectively refers to the armed organizations who fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was dynamically formed by Bengali regulars and civilians after the proclamation of Bangladesh's independence on...
(guerilla forces) and were used to kill, terrorize people and destroy rural villages. His vows against the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini were notorious. The crackdown against the Bengalis had gone too far, and the result saw Pakistan Combatant forces involved in a guerrilla war
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
with the Bengali Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini , also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs, collectively refers to the armed organizations who fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was dynamically formed by Bengali regulars and civilians after the proclamation of Bangladesh's independence on...
, under C-in-C General Osmany, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
Forces. The Pakistan Combatant Forces were unprepared and untrained for such warfare. After a preemptive strike on the Indian territories in the western front, a full-scale invasion of East Pakistan by India resulted in isolation for Niazi's and Shariff's forces being ambushed by the Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini , also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs, collectively refers to the armed organizations who fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was dynamically formed by Bengali regulars and civilians after the proclamation of Bangladesh's independence on...
, and with the absence of external aid, eventual surrender.
Return to Pakistan
On 16 December 1971, General Niazi surrendered the 93,000 Pakistan Armed Forces personnel in East Pakistan to his counterpart Lieutenant-General Jagjit Singh AuroraJagjit Singh Aurora
Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971...
, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces
Indian Armed Forces
The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force, supported by three paramilitary forces and various inter-service institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command.The President of India is...
and the Mukti Bahini Allied Forces just after 1,300 casualties from the Pakistani side. General Niazi signed the instrument of surrender
Instrument of Surrender (1971)
The Instrument of Surrender was signed at Ramna Race Course in Dhaka at one past five in the evening , local time, on December 16, 1971, by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, General Officer Commanding in Chief of Eastern Command of the Indian Army and Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan...
resulting in his surrender along with a sizable number of Pakistan Armed Forces personnel and intelligence civilians officers who were taken prisoners (upwards of 93,000 including about 34000 regular army soldiers). This was the largest number of POWs since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and included some senior government officials. Most would remain in captivity for more than three years after the conflict ended as they were to be tried for crimes such as rape and murder of the Bengali populace. General Niazi was symbolically the last prisoner of war to cross back to Pakistan, after Prime minister
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
signed a treaty
Simla Treaty
The Shimla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan at 12:40am on July 2, 1972. It followed from the war between the two nations in the previous year that had led to the independence of East Pakistan as Bangladesh. The agreement laid down the principles that should govern their future...
with his counter-part Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, Indian Premier. Such actions symbolized his reputation as a "soldier's general" but did not shield him from the scorn he faced upon his return to Pakistan, where he was blamed for the surrender. Upon his return, Bhutto stripped Niazi's military rank, and the pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
usually accorded to retired soldiers. Bhutto also stripped his military decorations and discharged him.
Pursuit for Court-Martial
The Commission, led and investigated by Chief Justice Hamoodur RahmanHamoodur Rahman
Chief Justice Hamoodur Rahman, Urdu: حمود الرحمن) was Pakistan-Bengali jurist and academia, a legal educator, who formerly served as the 7th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University as well as Professor of Law and Justice at the Karachi University...
of Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Pakistan
The Supreme Court is the apex court in Pakistan's judicial hierarchy, the final arbiter of legal and constitutional disputes. The Supreme Court has a permanent seat in Islamabad. It has number of Branch Registries where cases are heard. It has a number of de jure powers which are outlined in the...
— reportedly revealed that Niazi was guilty of several misconducts during his tenure as Martial Law Administrator in East Pakistan. It said that the General was indulging in paan
Paan
Paan, from the word pān is an Indian, Pakistani, Uttarvarshi and Southeast Asian tradition of chewing betel leaf with areca nut and slaked lime paste, and katha brown powder paste, with many regional and local variations...
(chewing tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
) smuggling from East to West-Pakistan and sexual excesses, including, possibly rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
as stated by witnesses. In order to clear his name, Niazi sought a court martial from JAG Branch
Judge Advocate General Branch
The Judge Advocate General Branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces is composed of Pakistan's Military senior officers, lawyers and judges who provide legal services to the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines at all levels of command...
, but it was never granted by Bhutto and General Tikka Khan who was the current Chief of Army Staff. The former general would try to take up politics in order to clear himself, but he was jailed in order to quell such actions by General Zia-ul-Haq, the Chief Martial Law Administrator of Pakistan. In 1998, he released The Betrayal of East Pakistan, where he blamed General Yahya Khan
Yahya Khan
General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan Qizilbash, H.Pk, HJ, S.Pk, psc was the third President of Pakistan from 1969 to 1971, following the resignation of Ayub Khan...
, General Rao Farman Ali, General Tikka Khan and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for the separation of East Pakistan. Niazi did not accept Hamoodur Rahman Commission as he believed that it was prepared by one of the guilty parties (Bhutto) and that it was no alternative to a court-martial, where accused persons are allowed to defend themselves, bring in witnesses, cross examine etc. Niazi claimed that a court-martial would have brought out the names of those who later rose to unthinkable heights, as it is easier to find one scapegoat who would help spare dozens. As others have made similar claims in relation to the disgraceful treatment to the scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan
Abdul Qadeer Khan
Abdul Qadeer Khan , also known in Pakistan as Mohsin-e-Pakistan , D.Eng, Sc.D, HI, NI , FPAS; more widely known as Dr. A. Q...
. Niazi lived out his life in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, his wife predeceasing him.
Legacy and Public Image
Niazi’s reputation as a “soldier’s general” lasted to the end. Niazi died in Lahore with only few to attend his funeral.He was also noted for making audacious statements like "Dacca will fall only over my dead body".http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/1971/Dec12/index.html According to Pakistani author, Akbar S. Ahmed, he had even hatched a far-fetched plan to "cross into India and march up the Ganges and capture Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and thus link up with Pakistan."http://www.pakistan-facts.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20030403171005709 This he called the "Niazi corridor theory" explaining "It was a corridor that the Quaid-e-Azam demanded and I will obtain it by force of arms". In a fantasy plan that he presented to the central government in June 1971, he stated in an immatured manner in his own words that "I would capture Agartala and a big chunk of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, and develop multiple thrusts into Indian Bengal. We would cripple the economy of Calcutta by blowing up bridges and sinking boats and ships in Hooghly River and create panic amongst the civilians. One air raid
Airstrike
An air strike is an attack on a specific objective by military aircraft during an offensive mission. Air strikes are commonly delivered from aircraft such as fighters, bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters, and others...
on Calcutta would set a sea of humanity in motion to get out of Calcutta”.
External links
- Op-ed: The courageous Pak army stand on the eastern front by Sarmila BoseSarmila BoseSarmila Bose is the Director of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University in 2006....
24 November 2003 - Daily Times - Pakistan: Independence and Military Succession
- Video of Surrender By General Niazi, A. A. K.
- Lt. Gen A.A.K. Niazi
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