Who was Responsible for Hate in Hearts of Bengalis? Upon the establishment of Pakistan, Major-General Iskandar Mirza ( A Bihari but resident of Bengal) was a one of the highest-senior ranking government officer in the nation. As Defense Secretary, Major-General Iskandar Mirza oversaw the 1947 war with India, as well as the Baluchistan conflict. In 1950, Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan ( Urdu Speaking UP-ite Muhajir) approved the recommendation of his appointment as honorary active duty Major-General in Pakistan Army, commanding the Military Police as its second General Officer Commanding. The senior most Bengali officer of the Army was Major-General Ishfakul Majid and he was senior to Ayub Khan (Pathan) as well. Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Major-General Iskandar Mirza (Bihari but resident of Bengal) played an instrumental role in Ayubs promotion, and convinced Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan ( Urdu Speaking UP-ite Muhajir) appoint Ayub Khan to four-star rank. In 1951, Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan appointed him as the director of the Department of Kashmir and Afghanistan Affairs (DKA). His tenure also saw the redeployment of Military Police in East-Pakistan as a result of the Bengali Language Movement, during which the East Pakistan Army fatally shot four student activists. Within a short span of time, the Military Police had the control of the state and its officer commanding submitted the report of their course of action to Major-General Iskandar Mirza in 1954. Major-General Iskandar Mirza arrived to East-Pakistan in May 1954. After landing at the Dhaka Airport, Major-General Iskandar Mirza sharply announced in Bengali language to the Pakistan media representatives, that he would not hesitate to use force in order to establish peace in the province. On the first day of his charge, Major-General Iskandar Mirza ordered the arrest of 319 persons, including Mujibur Rahman and Yousaf Ali Chaudhry. By mid-June 1954, the number of arrests reached 1,051, including 33 Assembly Members and two Dhaka University professors. Although the peace was restored and law and order situation was improved, such actions had sown a permanent seed of hatred for the West Pakistan in the hearts of Bengali people of East Pakistan. Paternal great-grandfather of Iskander Mirza was Mir Jafar (popularly known to Indian and Pakistanis as Ghaddar-e-Abrar). Mir Jafar had played an integral role bringing down Siraj ud-Daulah of Bengal, with the British Empire serving as the informant and leading provider of intelligence to British officer Robert Clive. Mir Jafar was a puppet of British East India company. After the defeat of Nawab Sirajuddoula the British ruled Bengal for next 190 years. Mir Jafar is widely reviled by the people of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. The word Mirjafar in Bengali and the phrase Meer Jafar in Urdu, are used much as quisling is used in English, and Jaichand of Kannauj in Indian history. Allama Iqbal, in his poetry wrote about his treachery in these words, Jaffar az Bengal,Sadiq az Deccan; nang-e-deen, nang-e-millat, nang-e-watan which mean Jafar (Mir) of Bengal and Sadiq (Mir) of Deccan are a disgrace to the faith, a disgrace to Nation, a disgrace to Country. British with the help of Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq were able to conquer Bengal and kingdom of Mysore (Sultanat-e-Khuda daad). Mir Jafars Great-Grandson Iskandar Mirza, who had joined Army in 1920 in Military Police, was appointed and served as the last Governor General of Pakistan and first President of Pakistan. Major-General Iskandar Mirza has the distinction of being the first to bring in military influence in national politics after he appointed his Army Chief as Chief Martial Law Administrator of the country. General Iskandar Mirza finally imposed martial law in 1958 after suspending the constitution and dissolving democratic institutions, including the Pakistan Parliament.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 15:39:16 +0000
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