The instrument of surrender signed in Dhaka on December 16th in the year 1971 is commemorated both for the birth of Bangladesh and indeed as the most shameful military defeat in the history of Pakistan. In this very embarrassing stage in history for the military of Pakistan, an investigation carried out within its ranks-known as the Hamoodur Rahman Commission, abbreviated as HRC-attributed this massive loss to severe moral decline and debauchery within the higher command levels.
The instrument of surrender, which was signed by Lt.-Gen. AAK ‘Tiger’ Niazi, by the instrument of General Jagjit Singh Aurora of India, and by the commanders of Mukti Bahini at the Ramna Race Course in Dhaka, led to the capture of more than 90,000 Pakistani troops.
Moral Degeneration: The Commission’s Damning Verdict
The shell-shocked aftermath of the defeat saw the newly appointed leader, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, assigned the investigation of the cause of the loss of East Pakistan to the Chief Justice of the country, Hamoodur Rahman. The supplementary report of the HRC on the matter published in 1974 had a scandalous conclusion:
“The process of moral degradation of the leadership within the Armed Forces was triggered by their participation in the duties within the context of martial law, and there was credibility within the allegations that many of the senior officers within the Army had not only indulged in massive corruption but had also adopted very immoral and licentious lifestyles that adversely influenced their professional abilities and qualities of leadership.”
In summary, what the commission determined is that the professional integrity of the military leaders had been undermined by their preoccupation with their private vices.
Yahya Khan: Intoxication On The Peak Of Power
General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan, the military dictator and commander-in-chief, was also identified as having created a tone of moral bankruptcy. Evidence of drunkenness, personal morality, and depravity in his immediate entourage, particularly when the war was nearing crisis point, was suggested by testimony:
Commander ‘Indisposed‘: Witnesses described excessive drinking, with officers seeking urgent leadership direction often being refused service because the Commander-in-Chief was “indisposed”—a polite word for intoxicated.
Widespread Allegations: Yahya was accused of having a hangover in Rawalpindi on the day of the surrender, that is, December 16, 1971.
‘General Rani’: The Tale Of Bedroom corruption
Patronage of women was described in detail by the commission in terms of the widespread involvement of women in the private life of the dictator, “symbolising corruption in this regime.”
Akleem Akhtar (‘General Rani’): Regarded as Yahya Khan’s closest confidante, Akleem Akhtar never held any position but functioned as a very influential gatekeeper and fixer. Reportedly, all persons wanting things in terms of favours and advancing in their business and military careers had to go through her, thus creating confusion between her closeness and national policy.
Noor Jehan: The Melody Queen’s Distraction
Noor Jehan, also known by her nickname Melody Queen, was a renowned singer at that time and also a regular overnight guest at Yahya Khan’s house during the critical phase of the war.
Niazi: The Commander Who ‘Couldn’t Command’
Lieutenant General A. A. K. Niazi, who had signed the surrender document in Dhaka, was held guilty of “conduct unbecoming of an Officer and Commander of his rank.” More telling were the observations against him that the HRC had made:
Sexual Immorality: The fact that Niazi “had a notorious reputation for sexual immorality” greatly weakened his authority.
Brothel Link: Explosive revelations emerged in the report that Niazi “was on intimate terms with a Saeeda Bukhari, who was running a brothel and was at the same time acting as the General’s tout for bribes.”
Collapse of Discipline:
The HRC quoted the direct testimony on the effects of Niazi’s actions on the forces: “The troops used to say that when the Commander (Lt Gen Niazi) was himself a rapist, how could they be stopped?”
The report further indicated that this moral decay led to a lack of discipline, and thus the army surrendered with little resistance.
Aftermath: A Deferred Accountability
The HRC specifically demanded public trials and courts-martial for senior officers, including Niazi, on charges of professional and moral incompetence.
Yahya Khan: Resigned and retired with dis-honour, removed from his position, and under house arrest by Bhutto. Never tried in a court of law for his actions and died in 1980.
AAK Niazi: Repatriated to India and force-retired, with his awards revoked. Despite the calls of the tribunal, he never had a court martial. The trenchant emphasis on the ‘wine, women, and corruption’ in the report made it convenient for the Pakistani establishment to present the defeat as a moral failing on the personal level, thus masking the systemic failures in the political arena. The full and scathing report had been kept under wraps for years, and the plea for accountability had been dismissed.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
