Roots of authoritarianism in Pakistan-KU.pdf
Roots of authoritarianism in Pakistan-KU.pdf
Roots of authoritarianism in Pakistan-KU.pdf
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Journal <strong>of</strong> Political Studies<br />
It is ironic (and amus<strong>in</strong>g) that all military dictators claimed that<br />
they wanted to br<strong>in</strong>g ‘genu<strong>in</strong>e’ democracy, yet it is no secret that<br />
what each and every military ruler has brought to this country is<br />
tyranny. “[Tuesday, March 2, 1971]…<strong>Pakistan</strong> faces terrible<br />
contradictions. It wants unification and democracy, but facts <strong>of</strong><br />
life are aga<strong>in</strong>st this comb<strong>in</strong>ation. East <strong>Pakistan</strong> is aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />
unification and if democracy is accepted, then East <strong>Pakistan</strong> has<br />
to be given freedom <strong>of</strong> its choice, secession. The army can hold<br />
the country together, but for how long. It can at best be a<br />
temporary expediency. If secession is considered unavoidable<br />
then the sensible course would be to carry out the process <strong>of</strong><br />
separation under the cover <strong>of</strong> martial law to make it a tidy<br />
operation…What the East <strong>Pakistan</strong>i reaction will be rema<strong>in</strong>s to<br />
be seen. Chances <strong>of</strong> it tak<strong>in</strong>g a violent turn and even declar<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
unilateral decision <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>dependence are great but then they may<br />
decide to lie low and wait for a more suitable opportunity to break<br />
away. In any case, separation is draw<strong>in</strong>g closer. The Bengalis<br />
are do<strong>in</strong>g everyth<strong>in</strong>g possible to make it do so. Meanwhile,<br />
Bhutto, <strong>in</strong> conjunction with Yahya will do everyth<strong>in</strong>g to accelerate<br />
the process.” 17 Military rule is a disaster wait<strong>in</strong>g to happen. Each<br />
and every military rule <strong>in</strong> <strong>Pakistan</strong> has brought with it many<br />
ramifications.<br />
A civilian dictator, though not as bad as a military dictator, is a<br />
dictator nonetheless. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a shrewd politician<br />
who played his cards right. “The next day, 25 November [1971],<br />
Zulfi [Zulfikar Ali Bhutto] met with Yahya, who now took him fully<br />
<strong>in</strong>to his “confidence”, hop<strong>in</strong>g to rema<strong>in</strong> the president <strong>in</strong> a new<br />
government, with Zulfi as prime m<strong>in</strong>ister. As soon as the war<br />
ended old Nurul Am<strong>in</strong> would be displaced, <strong>of</strong> course, because<br />
Yahya and Zulfi knew he was mere Bengali w<strong>in</strong>dow dress<strong>in</strong>g for<br />
17 Edited and annotated by Baxter, Craig, Diaries <strong>of</strong> Field Marshal<br />
Mohammad Ayub Khan, (Oxford: Oxford University Press), pp. 457-58.<br />
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