STORY OF INDO-PAK WAR 1971
This particular
chapter deals with the happenings and occurrences of Indo-Pak war in the year
1971. It was on 16th Dec 1971 when the geography of the world
changed yet again, because of the emergence of new nation called Bangladesh. On
that day Indira Gandhi declared that Dhaka is a free capital of a free nation.
Question often come peoples mind that why India went for a war with Pakistan?
What are the ambitions of that war? Was that only to give freedom to Bangladesh
or to split Pakistan or there was some other intention as well? If yes, there
were some other intentions of the war, then whether those objectives are already
being accomplished or yet to be accomplished. That time will uncover that.
After the third war of India with Pakistan in 1971, a new nation got freedom
called Bangladesh. But the question is whether our problem got solved from that
war ot not? That particular war changed the map of Pakistan but what we have
achieved out of that war? The war began on 3rd December 1971. The
war was initiated by Pakistan and it was for the third time that Pakistan was
fighting with India. And it was the very first occasion that Indira was leading
the war as the prime minister of the country. Question often comes into the
minds of the people that, whether Indira Gandhi was ready for the war or not?
She had made up her mind that she will not be silent over issues and genocide
in East Pakistan and more importantly she had given her words to the common
masses of the East Pakistan that she will free them from the dictatorial
administration of Pakistan. Then when Pakistan started the war openly from
their side then she gave the green signal to all the font of the defence to go
for the war. So Indian army went for it. It was an important and commendable
effort by the Indian army to build the Mukti Bahini which was already in the
war with Pakistan in the East Pakistan. For which the works for the Indian army
got minimise by the Mukti Bahini. So Indian Army was capturing the camps of
Pakistan one by one in the East Pakistan. At that point Pakistan wanted to
capture from the west because they thought India’s full eye was on East Pakistan.
That was why Pakistan pointed Uttarlai air base as their first destination. On
the 4th December 1971 night Major Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri was
heading the regiment with 83 soldiers, then he got the information that from
other side of the boarder tanks are coming with full of soldiers. They were
Pakistani soldiers who were coming to capture the west portions of India.
Thought it was night so Indian air force couldn’t help them but with the dare
to fight and strong determination Major Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri went for the
war along with his small unit of 83 soldiers with the more that thousands of
upcoming Pakistani soldiers. With the first ray sun in the morning Indian
fighter get of the air force went for the attacks on the Pakistan’s tanks and
army. Pakistan was unable to tackle with the attacks of both Indian army and
air force, so their dream of doing dinner in Jaisalmer was remain
unaccomplished. They didn’t even reach Ramgarh. And at that point of time
Indira Gandhi awared Pakistan that their planes and jet can’t fly over Indian
sky for which Pakistan was unable to attacks on the camps of East Pakistan. All
the three front of Indian defence were full on war with Pakistan and Pakistan
was way less to defend the attacks of the India. On the attacks of 3rd
December of Pakistan, India replied then by initiating the operation trident on
4th December. Indian Navy was
controlling the war from the both end by attacking on the Pakistani Naval depot
and by attacking Pakistani port in West Pakistan. On 5th December
Indian Navy destroyed the naval depot of Pakistan at Karachi. During that time
Pakistan was targeting INS Vikrant because it was the only of which the fighter
planes can fly to the sky. But this dream of also remain unachievable due to
strong and powerful attacks by the Indian Navy. And on the mission to stop INS
Vikrant Pakistan also moved his PNS Panduk but Indian navy destroyed PNS Panduk
from Visakhapatnam naval depot. And due to that Pakistan’s confidence level got
reduced to many extents. Only after four days of the war India got many
successes and also lost few things as well. but the original intention to free
East Pakistan from the rule of Pakistan was yet to accomplish, but after the 72
hours of the war Indira Gandhi announced in the legislative assembly India will
be recognising the republic and democratic of Bangladesh soon. And it was a
great hope for the Bangladesh. In the war of 1971 America was in support of
Pakistan and the issues have already been to the purview of UNO. America was
any way trying ceasefire the war among India and Pakistan. If the war could
stop at that very moment, then the dream of free Bangladesh will be remaining a
dream for the people of East Pakistan and India as well. America from the
second day of the war has raised the war issue of India and Pakistan in the United
Nations Security Council to stop the issue but Russ withdraws it. In Bangladesh
Pakistani army was way less they were unable to get rid of Indian army.
Pakistan was on the verge of the defeat and Pakistan asked America for help.
America used China as a game changer and it was going to be very bad thing for
India. America was putting pressure on Chin that Chin should put pressure on
India to quite the war against Pakistan. And finally the time came when America
left its war ship towards India to break the war. India got the information of
that on 8th December. So it was clear that America was taking a
stand in support of Pakistan. It was indeed a big step for America. Prior to
that it was only India and Pakistan but now it was another two big nations who
were against each other’s approach they were America and Russ. On the reply to
America, India seeks help from Russia cause both the countries have passed the
treaty that each of the country will help each other in the safety and security
of the nation. So Russ extended the help by leaving its warship to help India,
the aim of Russ was to stop America’s warship before reaching Indian coast.
India’s intention was that before America’s warship to reach the Indian Coast
Indian army should compel the Pakistan army to surrender. So Indian army chief
wared the Pakistan army to surrender. But Pakistan was waiting for the help of America
and Chin. But after one-day Indian army
attacked on the governor house of the Pakistan, where all the officials were
assembled to hold a meeting. After that Pakistan army chief was compel to wrote
a letter in which he mentioned about ceasefire. But India gave the reply that
the war can only be stopped when Pakistan army will surrender. India gave the
deadline to surrender till 16th morning. If Pakistan will not
surrender by that time, then India will again attack with more force. But by
that time America’s warship has already entered the Indian territory and Indira
Gandhi was quite upset about that and for which Indira Gandhi wrote a letter to
president Nixon the president of United States and she mentioned that America
is responsible for the ongoing war between India and Pakistan. The war between
India and Pakistan was not limited to the war field; it was also going on the
diplomatic level as well. At the same time Indian army was making Pakistan army
to surrender as soon as possible. Left Nant Jagjit Singh was the responsible
person for the surrender of Pakistan army; he was the army chief of east zone
of Indian army. Then army chief ordered him to got to Dhaka and prepare the
thing for the surrender of Pakistan army on 16th December 1971. It
was decided after signature of Pakistan army chief Niyaji, it was decided that
the surrender will be done in the racecourse field. At 4a.m Niyaji with his
company reached the racecourse field and at 4:30am Jagjit Singh with his
company also reached the destination. Finally, at 2:30pm the proceedings of the
surrender of Pakistan army started and at 4:30pm the Pakistan army started
surrendering before the Indian army in the presence of Mukti Bahini as well.
for any soldier’s surrender is the most shameful thing and in that surrender of
Pakistan it was almost one lakh soldiers who were bound surrender before Indian
Army. Indian army was putting pressure on the Pakistani army personnel to
surrender quickly because India wanted to wrap it all before UN America to take
any action. Then Pakistan did surrender and it was moment which Indira Gandhi
waited for and after that she declared that the war to stop. Then she went for
the renowned speech for the nation, in which she mentioned that now Dhaka is a
free capital of a free nation called Bangladesh. She was real hero behind the
great Indian victory over the Pakistani army. And after that she also ordered
the Indian army to stop the war in the west as well, and she made a clear
statement that India don’t want any war. After the defeat to Indian Pakistan
chief General YY Khan was bound to resign from his post then Zulfiker Ali
Bhutto became the next president of Pakistan. Till that period also Bang Bandhu
SM Rehman was under sail but after that defeat of Pakistan he was released on 8th
January 1972. Then after Pakistan wanted to go for peace talk. Then in June it
was decided that both the country will talk and it was named then Shimla
Mission. The main moto behind the treaty for India was to convince Pakistan to
agree that the ceasefire line as the international border. By that time a new
nation has already been emerged but the fight between India and Pakistan was
still on. Pakistan was still under a lot of pressure. India wanted to fix the
issues related to Kashmir as well. But Pakistan’s intention something different
that they wanted India to release the war prisoners of Pakistan and to return
the land of Pakistan which was occupied by India in the war. Pakistan didn’t
want to include the issues of Kashmir in the agenda of meeting but India wanted
to make Pakistan very much clear about the ceasefire line as the international
line. Pakistan wanted to the presence of the third party for the Shimla mission
treaty but Indira strictly refused agree on that proposal of Pakistan. According
to the delegation of the Pakistan government that any compromise on relation to
Kashmir, it will be severely harmful to their government. On the last night
before the way back to Pakistan, Zulfiker Ali Bhutto the president of Pakistan
met Indira Gandhi and conveyed Indira Gandhi that he can’t go in an empty hand
to his country, he appealed before Indira Gandhi that at least to release the
war prisoners. So Indira demanded before him to sign on a paper that Pakistan
is agreeing ceasefire line as the International border and Pakistan agreed that
but both leaders of the nation kept that matter hide from the public. Then
finally at 12.40pm both the leaders signed on the documents of Shimla Mission.
After that India agreed to release all the war prisoners and to return the land
captured during the 1971 war. And Pakistan also agreed to go for bilateral talk
among each other without including the third party. Both the country has made
up their mind that from that time onwards they will work together for peace. No
country will interfere in the internal matters of other and no country will use
force to solve any issue. But question often came that who gained what? After
that Shimla mission also Pakistan fired many times by violating the norms of
the Shimla mission. People often say that India could won the battel in the war
but it failed in the Shimla mission.
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