Ceremonial surrender of arms by Pak officers, men
From Toosher Pandit DACCA, SUNDAY, The capitulation of the Pakistani troops in Bangladesh was complete by this morning when 478 officers, including Major General Rao Farman Ali, Major General Jamshed, Corps Commander Rear Admiral Shariff and Group Captain Baig, surrendered their arms in a formal ceremony on the sprawling greens of the Dacca Cantonment Golf Course.
With them 30,000 men of the Pakistani Army in the Cantonment also surrendered their arms. They deposited their weapons to their respective unit Commanders.
The ceremony at the Golf Course was brief. Exactly at 10.45 a.m. Lt. General Sagat Singh, Chief of the Indian force in Bangladesh drove into the golf course. He was accompanied by two other senior Indian Army officers, Maj-Gen. Gendharva Nagra who is in overall charge of the Dacca Cantonment and Brig. H. S. Kler who has been assigned to take charge of the prisoners of war.
Even before the Indian Army officers arrived, the Pakistani officers lined up on all three sides of a small raised platform Facing the platform was a row of PAF and Pakistani Army officers. Army officers also stood on the right and on the left. A group of Naval officers were standing a little beyond.
Behind the platform, a contingent of Indian troops in their olive green uniform and their rifles gleaming in the sun stood in attention, Maj-Gen. Jamshed was standing alone in the center with his revolver buttoned up in the holster.
Brig. Baquir Siddique, the Chief of Staff of Pakistan Eastern Command, Walked on to the platform and told the officers the manner in which they should lay down their arms.
When Lt. Gen. Sagat Singh ascended the platform the officers stood motionless. On the extreme left one could notice the tall Lanky and bespectacled Maj. Gen. Rao Farman Ali standing erect.
Maj. Gen. Jamshed took a few steps towards the platform and told the Lt. Gen. Sagat Singh: “478 officers are present sir”, Gen. Sagat Singh said : “Thank you.”
In a brief speech Gen. Singh told the Pakistani officers he understood that: it was hard for them to surrender their arms. But this was all in the ethics of war. He also reminded them of their rights as well as obligations under the Geneva Convention.
He then introduced Maj. Gen. Nagra to the Pakistani officers Gen. Nagra then addressed the Pakistani officers. He reminded them that they had become POWs since 1600 hours of December 16. He assured them of all the facilities provided for POWs under the Geneva Convention.
“We also promise to fulfill all the assurances given by Lt. Gen. Jagit Singh Aurora to Let. Gen. Niazi” he said.
He also said that the officers and men would get their monthly pay and allowance; would be provided with identification cards; and were subject to the provisions of Indian Army Act in so far as penal and disciplinary measures were concerned.
The POWs would be entitled to send or receive gift parcels. Visitors would be permitted to see the POWs at appointed places and at appointed time. The Red Cross authorities could however meet them at any time they chose to.
“You have a complete freedom of religion. You can say your prayers five times a day”, he said.
Maj. Gen. Nagra hoped that the officers would cooperate with the Indian Army. “So far we have treated you like gentlemen. We hope you will reciprocate,” he said. In case the expected cooperation was lacking the General made it quite clear, the attitude of the Indian Army towards the prisoners might also harden.
He said that the POWs would be distributed in a number of camps. The overall command of these camps would be in the hands of Brigadier H. S. Kler. He would have a number of Camp Commandants under him. All orders and instructions would be channelised through the Commandants.
The responsibility for the running of the camps however would mainly be on the camp inmates. The POWs would run their own camps. All available transports would be pooled. The officers were however told that none of them would be allowed to move out of their camps without proper authorisation by the Camp Commandants:
He said that the officers had been given three days to surrender their arms and to prepare lists of personnel under their command and the quantity of arms and ammunition in their possession.
“We are not going to carry out searches. The Commanding Officers of each of the units would have to certify that their men had laid down their arms. These certificates would have to be countersigned by the Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Eastern Command, Brig. Siddique.”
General Nagra said that if any person was found holding on to his weapon he would be tried under the provisions of the Indian Army Act. He also said that the Indian Army might even conduct a thorough search for hidden weapons if the POWs betrayed the confidence being reposed on them.
Maj. Gen. Jamshed then ordered: Officers, hosier. The officers stood alert. Lt. Gen. Sagat Singh told him feelingly. You have heard what we have said and we mean it sincerely”. Then he left.
Maj. Gen. Jamshed then turned about and moved a couple of feet towards the officers. He then commanded them: Hatier bajramin, weapons on the ground. The officers dropped their weapons on the ground. Maj. Gen. Rao Farman Ali reluctantly parted with his revolver. He was almost crying. “It is always painful, can you imagine a soldier giving up his arms.” he told newsmen later.
Maj. Gen. Jamshed was the last to surrender his arms.
Later talking to newsmen Maj. Gen. Nagra said that the POWs were expected to be repatriated soon. According to his estimate about 100,000 men and officers of the Pak Army, including paramilitary forces had surrendered. In reply to a question, he said that even the Razakars, if they surrendered, would be given protection.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 20.12.1971