Hearing the voice of a close quarters observer, who lived through those times and had a ringside seat on the Pakistani side, was invaluable. Future historians, if they get hold of this, will no doubt also make allowances for the inaccuracies, the partial view of things and the partisan point of view which is apparent at times.
However, your friend, the retired Colonel, struck a false note.
Let us take a quick look at the older, more conservative view first.
This was not Joe Shearer, but the official record.
The Hamoodur Rahman Commission report covered all aspects of the debacle. As we can all see, it also paid attention to the numbers involved. It had access to all military records, both Pakistani, and, where it was concerned, Indian; as you know, some benefits and perquisites are administered by the detaining authorities for prisoners of war. These have to be accounted for very strictly, and the Pakistani commission must have referred to the reports and accounts presented by detaining authorities as well.
Against that record from the annals of a national commission, whose work has been accepted by its sponsors, the Government of Pakistan, we have with us the reconstruction attempted by a senior officer. However worthy his analysis, I fail to see why - and how- it can displace the official report.
The possibility of the entire thing being a conspiracy to enlarge Bhutto's role by making him the saviour of a larger number of men is,politely, sensationalist. It smacks of the conspiracy theories that lie like a miasma over every twist and turn of Pakistani history. The simple questions that need to be asked are: where was the good Colonel when the commission was sitting? Why did he not speak up then? Are we to believe, further, that nobody else had the imagination or the requisite access to information, or eve the drive and the motivation to set the record straight? Was nobody else before he interested in showing that the Pakistani armywas heavily outnumbered?
I am afraid that until it is clear that the commission was seriously in error, its view must prevail.
Mr.Shearer I posed your questions to the Colonel and this is what he had to say :
Brief answer to your questions are:
Hamood ur Rahamn commission was constituted by ZA Bhutto's government, Bhutto being the main character involved in breakup of Pakistan. The commission got these figures from Bhutto government. This report was never published because it contained such lies and may be exposed his role through some statements. If you recollect the figure of POW touted in the initial years by the government and even after the repatriation was 93000 (ninety three thousands). These days it is being given as 90000 (ninety thousands).
The figures are absolutely wrong. The number of Army persons can be calculated from the detail of units and formation listed in the ORBAT (order of battle) which is available in many Indian publications. It comes to about thirty two thousand all ranks.
The number of Navy and Air force seems correct.
The paramilitary East Pakistan Rifles, about fifteen thousand strong revolted in March and after some months another force the East Pakistan Civil Armed Force (EPCAF) was raised. The manpower was locals, mainly Urdu speaking 'Biharis' who joined their families as the war ended.
The civilians were some senior civil servants not many in numbers because the junior staff was local. Some civilians like staff of two merchant ships and such others, again not in the numbers mentioned, were with us.
As far families, the Army struggling to fight a counter insurgency campaign spread all over in the country in penny packets could not be living with families. What happened to the families of West Pakistanis in the months of Feb, March and April at the hands of Bengali mobs was great deterrence to keep families even by those posted at Dacca.
P.S I asked him to tell a little more about himself :
As far as my indentity is concerned I am a 70 years old soldier who, as comapnay commander of an infantry company traversed almost one third of the East Pakistan mainly on foot between the months of April to Dec 1971. My unit 34 Punjab, started its move from Dacca on 11th April (after being airlifted by PIA on 06-08Apr) moving to Narsinghdi, Bhairab Bazar, crossed over towards Brahman Baria, recrossed back to continue towads Kishor Ganj, Mymen Singh. Nitrakona and Durgapur. This was first phase till end April. In second phase we crossed over towards Rangpur, Kurigram, Nageswary, Bhurangamari and then to Thakurgaon covering the area Pirganj, Ranishankail, Nekmard, Ruhea, Pacharagh, Jagdalhat and Amarkhan along the borders. From there I with my company was moved south to Hilli , remained in Pachbibi and during the war mover further west to Patnitola finally coming to Nogaon where my group met the Indians on 22 Dec 71.
I hope some questions are answered. I will end by quoting the middle aged Bengali who on 16 Dec, when I was closing my troops from Patinitola for move to Naogaon, briskly walked upto me, hugged me and stating crying on my shoulder with loud laments "I remember Ayb Khan, I remember Ayub Khan, this is not what we wanted". If we have lost east Pakistan, the Bengalis have lost pakistan. I have a hope that if we can get out the clutches of US appointed rulers, we can realize our true potential and have excellent relation with Bengal may be in the form a federation.
I retired as Colonel after completing my age and service limit in 1994. Am living near Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Occasionally I keep contributing letters in the Newspost of the daily News, with my name Colonel (retd) Nazir Ahmed
P.P.S I hope that answers the questions but if you've found any discrepancy in the OBAT please do let me know and I'd try to obtain a clarification (or an explanation) from the Colonel !
Regards,
Armstrong !
