9
Since war was imposed on the people
of East Pakistan, the people resisted
the operation of the Pakistan army. It
was difficult to resist well-organized
and well-equipped trained soldiers.
The people fought unequal war till
October when Mukti Bahini stepped
up their activities and made the life of
Pakistan
army
unbearable.
Incidentally, Awami League did not
prepare to fight against Pakistan army
as can be seen from the writings of
Indian Major-General D.K Palit who
wrote in his book (The lightening
Campaign): Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
was aware that a showdown was
eminent for which Pakistan army‟s
Eastern command headquarters would
be adequately prepared. Why did he
(Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) not
reinforce the general strikes and
autonomous administrative policies
with some sort of defensive
contingency plan? The fact of the
matter was simple that Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman did not want to dismantle
state of Pakistan. The simple reason
was that he survived on the pay roll of
West Pakistani billionaire Muhammad
Yusuf Abdullah Haroon. Until the
dismemberment of Pakistan Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman was on the pay roll
of Yusuf Haroon‟s insurance company:
Alpha Insurance Company, which was
located at Jinnah Avenue, now
Gulistan Avenue. At the suggestion of
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at round
table conference Gen.Ayub Khan
appointed Yusuf Haroon as Governor
of Sindh province in 1969 to counter
the influence of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto
who did not have good relations with
Page
democratic practice but also denied
the unity of the state. The Bengalis
therefore, cannot be blamed if they
later took the cue from the
President”. Anthony Mascarenhas
further elaborated by saying, “it is
now evident that Gen.Yahiya khan‟s
regime did not accept the verdict of
one man one vote. It deliberately
precipitated an East Pakistan-West
Pakistan confrontation for its selfish
purposes and brought an end to the
state. Clearly, then it is the guilty
party, not Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”
President Yahya Khan branded the
leader of the majority party, Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman as traitor and blamed
the people of East Pakistan as
secessionist to justify military action.
The fact remains that it was military
junta declared a war of annihilation
against the people of East Pakistan
which comprised the majority
population of Pakistan, and it was the
heights of absurdity to suggest that
majority was seceding.