Vijay Diwas -December 16 – India’s victory over Pakistan on 1971 war

Indo-Pak War 1971

The story dates back to the time when India became independent from the British in 1947. The nation was divided into two: India and Pakistan. The formation of Pakistan was complicated as two of its territories West Pakistan and East Pakistan were separated by around 2000km of India territory.

West Pakistan obsession with Urdu miffed Bengalis of East Pakistanis.  In 1952 the community of students in East Pakistan raised against the imposition of Urdu.  The moment was brutally suppressed with the Pakistan army and police opening fire at demonstrators.  Mujibur Rahman led Awami league launched a protest against the death.  But language was just a part of the problem, East Pakistanis were grossly underrepresented in both Civil and military services.

After The Bhola cyclone of 1970 West Pakistan refused funds for relief.  This infuriated the Bengalis.  Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League swept the election that followed but was not allowed to form the next government. The talks between Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Mujibur Rahman had collapsed, the Bengalis of Pakistan went onto the streets and refused to pay taxes and Pakistan was starting a civil war. 

The Pakistani military launched a massive operation codenamed Operation searchlight against the Bengali Nationalist movement and Mujibur Rahman was arrested Awami league was banned foreign journalists were expelled.  But the survivors of this attack formed Mukti Bahini. 

Within a month more than a million Bengalis were killed, raped almost half a million women including children. 

A large number of refugees moved to India to escape from the Pakistani army. With the fair share of economic issues India could not have led this situation to continue.  The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi warned the international community that India couldnt take refugees anymore.  For the historical peace loving India war was the last option and has never had territorial ambitions.

But on December 3rd 1971 Pakistani fighter jets launched attacks on the Indian Air Force of Amritsar, Pathankot, Avantipur and Srinagar.  Meanwhile, General Sam Manekshaw had won the political leadership of India that a Pakistani attack was imminent and they declared war against Pakistan.  On December 4th 1971 the Pakistani misfortune and the war began.  They ran into 23 Punjab now called Punjab regiment under Major Kuldeep Singh.  He defeated an entire Pakistani armored Brigade and infantry with only 120 troops on his sight in the desert sector.

The same day the battle of Basantar started in the Punjab sector where Indian troops repelled a major attack of Pakistani tank regiments which could have hit hard on Punjab and Jammu.  On the eastern front of the West Bengal border Jessore, Sylhet and Moulvibazar in Bangladesh were liberated from the Pakistani occupation.  On 9th December the Indian Navy attacked Karachi in West Pakistan.   On December 11th Indian troops were working along with Mukti Bahini and liberated together the Hilli Mymensingh and Kushtia.  On 12th December 1971 Indian paratroopers arrived at the mountain assault on Dhaka, Madaripur and Tangail. These were the cities that were liberated on the same day by evening.  

Pakistani troops received repeated calls by General Manekshaw to surrender or face death.  This had sent shivers down the spines of Pakistanis and started surrendering.  On 16th December 1971, the Pakistani administration in East Pakistan crumbled. Having no more alternative left, Lieutenant General Aak Niazi had to sign the instrument of surrender.

Joy Bangla was chanted all over there.  Indian soldiers and Mukti Bahini together celebrated their victory which was the end of East Pakistan.  93000 Pakistani troops that had surrendered and taken prisoners of War by the Indian Army.  It was the largest surrender by an army since the Second World War. India got a new Eastern neighbor as Bangladesh took its place.