FROM EAST PAKISTAN DEBACLE TO AFGHAN VICTORY

By: Brigadier (R) Mohammed Yousaf, S. Bt.

 Is it fair to perceive the entire Pakistan Army in light of the “Hamood-ur-Rehman Commission Report”? Certainly not!

 Pakistan Army has a glorious record of sacrifices in the battlefields made by soldiers, young and senior officers alike. They have always fought gallantly against heavy odds in order to defend our country. We have legacies of courage, bravery and sacrifices from the deserts of “Run of Kutch” in the south up to the lofty mountains of “Kargil” in the north. There is history of sacrifices and bravery beyond the call of duty. The world recognizes the military potential of Pakistan. We had the same brave soldiers and officers in East Pakistan. But the war in East Pakistan with India was lost before it commenced. It was due to the lack of strategic depth in the faulty war plan made by a handful of generals. Yet the individuals, small groups and even a brigade continued fighting even after the official surrender. Indeed, they made history with their blood. After a lapse of 30 years, with the publication of Hamoodur Rehman Report, the image of Pakistan Army has once again been tarnished and has led to strong criticism. The military defeat or victory cannot be considered in isolation. The political decisions and directions have always played a predominant role in the outcome of all wars fought in the annals of military history. Unfortunately, in case of East Pakistan, political and military leadership failed and India took full advantage of it. It exploited the prevailing politico- military situation and turned it into a major military defeat for Pakistan.

 Hamoodur Rehman Report certainly warranted another inquiry into the ‘system of promotions’ in our armed forces. It is ironic that generals, air marshals and admirals, with major character failings and moral turpitudes, got promotions to such coveted ranks. If the system for promotions in the armed forces was reviewed after 1971 War, we would not have heard the scandalous involvement of some military brass in the purchases of guns, tanks, aircrafts and submarines. A ‘General’ was even known to be a drug lord. The senior military leadership repeatedly becomes questionable. Some generals were allegedly involved in the political polarization of the country and ‘one’ even did not hesitate to distribute taxpayer’s money to political parties to back up his personal political horses. Their crimes were always covered by the weak political regimes mostly on the pretext that it will tarnish the institution of the armed forces. The generals, marshals and admirals and the institutions of the armed forces are not Holy Cows. The law of the land must be equally applied to all.

 Notwithstanding the above, Pakistan armed forces have produced generals, marshals and admirals of highest integrity and professionalism. They have left their legacies for the coming generations to follow the path of glory. But their achievements, their impeccable personal character and their contributions to the armed forces and our country have not been highlighted to the people of Pakistan by official media.

 To be a warlord in history, a general must win a war. Pakistan Army did produce one such warlord. The Soviets invaded Afghanistan in late December 1979, and threatened the sovereignty of our nation after reaching our western borders. Most of the military thinkers, politicians and intellectuals within the country and abroad were of the opinion that Soviets would never go back and Afghanistan was a lost cause. It was argued that supporting the Mujahideen would antagonize Soviets. This policy would have implied subjugating ourselves to the Soviets forever. It is horrifying to imagine what the Soviets would have made out of our sovereignty as a nation.

 At the outset, Generals Zia and Akhtar were virtually alone in thinking they could drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan. General Akhtar was the architect of Afghan Jihad. He devised the overall military strategy of the jihad from the outset and skillfully supervised its implementation. He masterminded the Afghan Jihad for eight long years. With a handful of young officers, he trained the Afghans in firing rockets and the most advanced ‘Stinger’ missile so skillfully that Soviets were left with no options but to leave Afghanistan.

 The overall strategy to drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan was a classic guerilla warfare of “death-by-thousands-cuts’’. General Akhtar never once sought to confront the enemy in a large-scale conventional battle. He was a great believer in the use of tactical offensive in the conduct of a guerilla war and always emphasized the need for the bold and aggressive use of weapons and the need to achieve a tactical surprise. Ambushes, assassination, attacks on supply convoys, pipelines and rocket attacks on airfields with the avoidance of set piece attacks was the only way to win the war. These tactics and strategies brought successes to the Afghan Mujahideen in the battlefield. It was the accumulated effect of “thousands cuts” which forced the Soviets to leave Afghanistan. With his military strategy, war management and with the help of Mujahideen, Akhtar was able to drive the Soviets back into Russia and saved our future generations from Soviet slavery.

 Akhtar, the commander-in chief of Afghan mujahideen, in the end, gave his life for freedom of the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

 He will go down in the history as the only general who took on the Soviet military machine since the end of World War II – and win. The nation certainly owes a debt of gratitude to this “Silent Soldier” for securing our borders against the Soviets. Indeed, he lived in obscurity, died, as Shaheed but his deeds will keep him alive forever in the annals of military history even though he may not be recognized as such officially.

 Let’s not look at Hamood-ur-Rehman Commission Report in isolation. It must be seen in the entire spectrum of our military history. East Pakistan debacle is one sad episode but our army has given us a lot of successes in the battlefields. Our nation must be proud of these achievements.