Pakistani Prisoners of War were more than bargaining counters between the two countries. They were soldiers, once proud but now coping with humiliation of laying down their arms and indignity of captivity. This episode takes a closer look at their lives in captivity, several escape attempts, and the psychological trauma on return. Back in their own country they faced suspicion and disdain. The psychological trauma of 1971 and the resolve of the prisoners to redeem themselves changed Pakistani outlook and strategy towards India.

Please share your comments and feedback at rohit@rohitagarwal.in

Sources -

The origins of war in South Asia- Indo-Pakistani conflicts - Sumit Ganguly

South Asian Crisis- India, Pakistan, And Bangla Desh - A Jackson

Through the 1971 Crisis- An Eyewitness Account by a Soldier - Hakeem Arshad Qureshi

Military, State and Society in Pakistan - Hasan Askari Rizvi

War, Coups and Terror - Pakistan's Army - Brian Cloughley

#IndianHistory #HistoryPodcast #IndiaPakistanWar #OperationSindoor #prisonersofwar #PakistanArmy #Bhutto

In Episode 16 of Sibling Rivalry, we unravel the bitter trilateral impasse between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Discover how 93,000 Prisoners of War became a diplomatic "wasting asset" and explore Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's dramatic post-Simla pivot.

Tune in to the high-stakes diplomatic chess game that finally settled the tragic fallout of the 1971 war. 🎙️♟️

Sources -

South Asian Insecurity and the Great Powers -- Barry Buzan, Gowher Rizvi, Rosemary Foot, Nancy Jetly, B. A

THE SIMLA ACCORD || THE KASHMIR DISPUTE AND THE SIMLA -- Zubeida Mustafa -- Pakistan Horizon

Memoirs of a Bystander - A Life in Diplomacy Iqbal Akhund.

India-Pakistan in War & Peace - Dixit, J. N

Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan- His Life & Times -- Stanley Wolpert

Haskar Papers

Interview with History -- Oriana Fallaci

Declassified US State Department and CIA Documents

#SimlaAgreement #1971War #BangladeshLiberation

#HistoryPodcast #MilitaryHistory #IndianHistory

#HistoryPodcast #India #Pakistan #Bangladesh #ZulfikarAliBhutto #IndiraGandhi #Geopolitics #SouthAsia #Diplomacy

After the lightening campaign in East Pakistan and liberation of Bangladesh, the post war negotiations took place at Shimla in Jun-Jul 1972. A reported verbal agreement between the two prime ministers which was never formalised meant that the Shimla agreement was more significant for what was unsaid rather than what was included in the document.

Haskar Papers

India-Pakistan in War & Peace - JN Dixit

Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan- His Life & Times - Stanley Wolpert

Pakistan’s Foreign Policy 1947-2019 - Abdul Sattar

Shooting for a Century - Stephen P. Cohen

THE SIMLA ACCORD -- Zulfikar Ali Bhutto -- Pakistan Horizon

Declassified US State Department and CIA documents

#History #International Relations #Geopolitics #Indiaworldrelations #Indianneighbourhood #IndianHistoryPodcast #HistoryPodcast #ShimlaAgreement #IndiaPakistanWar #1971

The domestic shockwaves in Pakistan following the humiliating defeat lead to Yahya Khan's ouster and Bhutto's assumption of power as a civilian dictator. Bhutto’s ruthlessly purged the military top brass to consolidate control, and releasee Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to clean up his international image. Preliminary dialogues at Muree in preparation of the Shimla Summit remained inconclusive.

Sources -

Bhutto - a political biography - Salmaan Taseer

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto - Six Steps to Summit - Kamaleshwar Sinha

Eating Grass - The Making of the Pakistani Bomb - Feroz Hassan Khan

The Struggle for Pakistan - Ayesha Jalal

India-Pakistan in War & Peace - JN Dixit,

Memoirs of a Bystander - A Life in Diplomacy - Iqbal Akhund

Declassified US State Department and CIA Documents

#IndianHistoryPodcast #IndiaPakistan #ShimlaAgreement #SouthAsia #Geopolitics #History #1971War

Pakistan’s desperate, failed preemptive air strikes on December 3, India's multi-pronged invasion of East Pakistan, the naval blockade, the collapse of Pakistan's "fortress defence" strategy, the threat of the US Seventh Fleet, and the historic surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers at the Dhaka Race Course.

Includes extracts from Archival speeches by Mrs Indira Gandhi, Gen Yahya Khan and Zulfikar Bhutto.

Sources -

The Blood telegram -Gary Jonathan Bass

The origins of war in South Asia-Sumit Ganguly

Interview with History - Oriana Fallaci

Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan- His Life & Times - Stanley Wolpert

Declassified US State Department and CIA Documents

The Betrayal of East Pakistan - A.A.K. Niazi

Through the 1971 Crisis- An Eyewitness Account by a Soldier - Hakeem Arshad Qureshi

#IndiaPakistanWar #IndiraGandhi #IndianHistory #IndoPak #SouthAsia #HistoryPodcast

As the refugees were pouring into India, the superpowers were engaged in a power play in the subcontinent. Pro-Pakistan tilt of US compelled India to sign a treaty with USSR, which served as a shield against intervention and left India free to deal with Pakistan.

Sources -

The Blood Telegram - Gary J Bass

De-classified US State Department and CIA Documents

Confrontation With Pakistan - BM Kaul

Official History of the 1971 India Pakistan War - History Division Ministry of Defence

Pakistan's Foreign Policy 1947-2019 - Abdul Sattar

#IndiaPakistan #HistoryPodcast #BloodTelegram #IndianHistory #ColdWar #Geopolitics

In one of the darkest chapters of the subcontinent's history, Pakistan Army unleashed Operation Searchlight - a planned pogrom of terror and violence unleashed on a section of its own population. The people of East Pakistan took refuge in India in millions, and the stage was set for an epic showdown.

Sources -

Official History of the 1971 India Pakistan War - MoD History Division

De-classified CIA and US State Department Documents

A Stranger in my own Country - Maj General Khadim Hussain Raja

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto - Six Steps to Summit - Kamaleshwar Sinha

The Betrayal of East Pakistan -- Lt Gen A.A.K. Niazi

Through the 1971 Crisis- An Eyewitness Account by a Soldier - Hakeen Arshad Qureshi

We've Learnt Nothing from History - Air Marshal Asghanr Khan

The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger and a Forgotten Genocide - Gary J Bass

The collision course set by Pakistan's historic 1970 elections, where a massive democratic verdict was violently rejected by the West Pakistan. A devastating cyclone and cynical political manoeuvring led to the eventual launch of the brutal 'Operation Searchlight'.

This episode uncovers how a nation was torn apart by its own leaders.

Sources -

Official History of the 1971 India Pakistan War -- History Division

Memoirs of Lt. Gen. Gul Hassan Khan - Lt Gen Gul Hasan Khan

Pakistan’s Foreign Policy 1947-2019 - Abdul Sattar

A Stranger in my own Country - Maj General Khadim Hussain Raja

Memories & Reflections Of A Pakistani Diplomat - Sulltan Muhammad Khan

India-Pakistan in War & Peace - JN Dixit

We've Learnt Nothing from History - Asghanr Khan

The Struggle for Pakistan - Ayesha Jalal

Bhutto - a political biography - Salmaan Taseer