What do you think?
Rate this book
Pakistan Kyun Toota? / پاکستان کیوں ٹوٹا؟
- GenresPakistan
352 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1987
15 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Want to read
September 14, 2020This book is an analysis of the break-up of Pakistan in 1971,when East Pakistan became Bangladesh.
Well,I have my own analysis :
First and foremost,West Pakistan and East Pakistan were over 1,000 miles apart,with Indian territory in between.It was a unique experiment in statehood,and it lasted only 24 years.
Should the two wings have been combined to begin with ? As subsequent events conclusively proved,the answer is in the negative.
There was a huge cultural difference.East Pakistan bordered Indian Bengal.There was little in common with the provinces that comprised West Pakistan.
The army was heavily dominated by Punjabis.Bengalis began to resent that.
East Pakistan was resource poor,was very densely populated and was subjected to natural disasters like cyclones.The federal government started to be blamed for all this.
Language was different.Bengalis did not want Urdu.There were language riots in East Pakistan.
East Pakistan had greater population than West Pakistan.In democratic elections,this would have meant that the party dominating East Pakistan would get more seats.Parties from West Pakistan could hardly expect to get seats there.This happened in the 1970 elections.
If Sheikh Mujib had formed a government in Pakistan,while his loyalties were not even with the country,what a disaster it would have been.
The situation for secession was ripe in East Pakistan,with the government of Indira Gandhi aiding and abetting the rebels and the Mukti Bahini.They had not accepted the creation of Pakistan in 1947,they had a score to settle.Pakistan had to be partitioned too,just as India was.There was a lot of historical baggage from 1947,Kashmir and the 1965 war.For Indira Gandhi and co,there couldn't have been a better opportunity.
Pakistan's then president was General Yahya Khan,not the greatest leader this country had.He was,according to most accounts,drunk most of the time.He decided on a military operation to control the situation.It backfired disastrously and gave further impetus to secessioninst tendencies.
India took full advantage of the situation and launched a massive attack.Pakistan army in that theatre had few resources,and had to face the Mukti Bahini and a hostile local population,in addition to the Indian army.
Much blame has been placed on General Niazi,the local commander.But he could,at best,have prolonged the war.The end result would have been the same.
In hindisght,there is a tragic inevitability to these events.Today,what happens in Bangladesh hardly impacts Pakistan because the two countries are so far apart.It would have been great if this had been recognized at the very beginning.
As events conclusively demonstrated,a common religion was not enough to hold the two wings together.
Well,I have my own analysis :
First and foremost,West Pakistan and East Pakistan were over 1,000 miles apart,with Indian territory in between.It was a unique experiment in statehood,and it lasted only 24 years.
Should the two wings have been combined to begin with ? As subsequent events conclusively proved,the answer is in the negative.
There was a huge cultural difference.East Pakistan bordered Indian Bengal.There was little in common with the provinces that comprised West Pakistan.
The army was heavily dominated by Punjabis.Bengalis began to resent that.
East Pakistan was resource poor,was very densely populated and was subjected to natural disasters like cyclones.The federal government started to be blamed for all this.
Language was different.Bengalis did not want Urdu.There were language riots in East Pakistan.
East Pakistan had greater population than West Pakistan.In democratic elections,this would have meant that the party dominating East Pakistan would get more seats.Parties from West Pakistan could hardly expect to get seats there.This happened in the 1970 elections.
If Sheikh Mujib had formed a government in Pakistan,while his loyalties were not even with the country,what a disaster it would have been.
The situation for secession was ripe in East Pakistan,with the government of Indira Gandhi aiding and abetting the rebels and the Mukti Bahini.They had not accepted the creation of Pakistan in 1947,they had a score to settle.Pakistan had to be partitioned too,just as India was.There was a lot of historical baggage from 1947,Kashmir and the 1965 war.For Indira Gandhi and co,there couldn't have been a better opportunity.
Pakistan's then president was General Yahya Khan,not the greatest leader this country had.He was,according to most accounts,drunk most of the time.He decided on a military operation to control the situation.It backfired disastrously and gave further impetus to secessioninst tendencies.
India took full advantage of the situation and launched a massive attack.Pakistan army in that theatre had few resources,and had to face the Mukti Bahini and a hostile local population,in addition to the Indian army.
Much blame has been placed on General Niazi,the local commander.But he could,at best,have prolonged the war.The end result would have been the same.
In hindisght,there is a tragic inevitability to these events.Today,what happens in Bangladesh hardly impacts Pakistan because the two countries are so far apart.It would have been great if this had been recognized at the very beginning.
As events conclusively demonstrated,a common religion was not enough to hold the two wings together.
February 19, 2020
a very objective and comprehensive account on the separation of East Pakistan, a must read for all Pakistanis
Currently reading
August 22, 2023اس کتاب میں پاکستان ٹوٹنے کے محرکات کیا تھے یہ سب تفصیل سے بیان کیا گیا ہے۔بھارت کی مشرقی پاکستان میں مداخلت اور مغربی پاکستان کی طرف سے سیاسی خدشات کی بنیاد پر مشرقی پاکستان کے ساتھ سیاسی نا انصافیاں
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews