Today India is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Vijay Divas. On 16 December 1971, East Pakistan turned into Bangladesh after winning long-fought war of independence against Pakistan with the help pf Indian Army. Indian Army had to get into a war with Pakistan Army for saving the people of East Pakistan from the brutalities of Pakistan Army. Indian Army, uder the military leadership of General Sam Manekshaw and political backing of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, inflicted humiliating defeat on Pakistan Army which was forced to surrender along with its 93,000 captured soldiers in Dhaka. The Indo-Pakistan war of 1971 is also called the Liberation War, since Bangladesh attained freedom from Pakistan. The day is also celebrated as 'Bijoy Divas' in Bangladesh. Initially it was not a war between India and Pakistan until the Pakistan Air Force carried an aerial strike on 11 Indian air stations. The conflict arose when Awami League, a party with major base in East Pakistan, won majority of seats in the Pakistan Parliament after general elections that were held on on 7 December 1970. The Pakistan Army and leaders of Western Pakistan, both dominated by the Punjabis, refused to hand over power to the Awami League. The people of East Pakistan revolted under the leadership of Sheikh mujibur rahman and the Pakistani army retaliated byresorting to barbaric slaughter of Bengali and Hindu residents of East Pakistan. East Pakistan's efforts to get liberation from Pakistanwas launched in Marh,1971 by the fighters of Mukti Bahini. India was forced to entere the conflict in December 1971 that finally culminated into the creation of a new country, Bangladesh.
Pakistan Army surrendered to Indian Army in 1971| Key points
1. The moment Awami League won the elections in East Pakistan, the atrocities began in the eastern part of Pakistan by the Pakistan Army. The Bangladesh Liberation movement began in March 1971, as the Bengali nationalists and Mukti Bahini guerrillas in East Pakistan never wanted the dominance of West Pakistan over them. The conflict between East Pakistan and West Pakistan went on for several months.
2. It was 25 March 1971 when the Pakistan Army General Tikka Khan launched 'Operation Searchlight' to curb the voices for the liberation movement of East Pakistan. With this operation Pakistan's army killed around 2 to 3 lac innocent citizens and raped thousands of women, according to certain media reports. This incident triggered the 9 month long freedom struggle by Bangladeshis.
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3. By that time India had no involvement in the war until the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) carried out air strikes on 11 Indian air stations. Now with this India officially joined the Bangladesh liberation war with Pakistan. The 1971 war was the first of it's kind, where all the three divisions of the Indian Armed Forces Army, Navy, and Air Force fought the war together. India adjoined Mukti Bahini in this war. India fought the war on two fronts, one in west Pakistan and the other in east Pakistan. The Indian Air Force flew around 4000 sorties in the western front and 2000 sorties in the east. Indian aircrafts also attacked many air bases in Pakistan. Whereas, the Indian Navy attacked Karachi port on the night of December 4-5. And hence 4th December is observed as Navy Day, to celebrate India's victory. Navy Day. And the Indian Army fought the Pakistan's army along the western front. Eventually India moved towards Dacca where Pakistan Lt Gen Amir Abdullah Khan (AAK) Niazi was stationed. Additionally India captured a large part of Pakistani territory.
4. It was the then PM Indira Gandhi and chief of army staff (COAS), General Sam Manekshaw's firm decision to fight against Pakistan. The then Prime Minister ordered a “full-scale” invasion of Pakistan.
5. It was a 13-day long war, and considered as the shortest war in the history where the Indian armed forces successfully captured 93,000 Pakistani troops and sent them to jail as prisoners of war (PoW). 8000 Pakistani soldiers had died and over 25,000 were wounded in this war. Nearly 3000 Indian soldiers were martyred and 12,000 others were wounded.
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6. The war ended On December 16 when the Indian Army captured Dhaka and issued an ultimatum to Pakistan Lt Gen to surrender, and they surrendered immediately. The Eastern Command chief of the Pakistan Army, Lt Gen AAK Niazi, signed the instrument of surrender with the Eastern Command chief of the Indian Army, Lt Gen JS Aurora. And as a result of the war a new country was created called 'Bangladesh'. With this Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh liberation movement, became the first president of Bangladesh in 1971.
7. In 1972, the Shimla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan under which India agreed to release all the 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war.
