Imran Chowdhury BEM

In the past few months, Pakistani media and political circles have been fervently discussing the infamous Hamdoor Rahman Commission Report, rekindling memories of the 1971 Bangladesh Genocide and the Liberation War. This resurgence is not driven by a genuine reckoning with the past or a desire for justice; instead, it is a cynical move by Pakistan’s political elite to manipulate historical tragedies for their current political gains. As Bengalis, we vehemently protest this abhorrent misuse of our history, which only serves to reopen old wounds and distract from Pakistan’s present political turmoil.

The Hamdoor Rahman Commission Report: A Flawed Document

The Hamdoor Rahman Commission Report, drafted by Justice Hamdoor Rahman in the aftermath of the 1971 war, has long been a controversial document. The report grossly understated the atrocities committed by the Pakistani military in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, suggesting that only 50,000 deaths occurred. This figure is a stark contrast to the estimates of historians and international observers, who believe the death toll was over three million, with countless others subjected to rape, torture, and displacement.

Justice Rahman, an Urdu speaker from West Bengal who himself has no roots whatsoever in East Bengal, was seen by many as compromised and biassed, perhaps pressured to downplay the Pakistani military’s actions.

The Commission was constituted on the orders of the evil genius Bhutto, the infamous President of Pakistan. The first ever civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator. The report’s findings were thus inherently flawed, serving more to protect the Pakistani establishment than to offer a truthful account of the Genocide. Bhutto only ordered this Judicial probe to cleverly exonerate himself from the East Pakistan Genocide, where he was one of the architects of the military operation that commenced during his presence in East Pakistan. Bhutto wanted to wipe his blood-stained fingerprint from the history of the Bengali Genocide. It is this discredited document that Pakistani politicians are now resurrecting, not out of a sense of accountability but as a tool in their internal power struggles.

Political Machinations in Pakistan

The current political scenario in Pakistan is fraught with tensions. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who once aspired to establish a “Riyasat-i-Madina” (a model Islamic state going back to the 7th century), has found himself at odds with the military establishment that once supported him. Khan’s political downfall has been a source of schadenfreude for other politicians, who see in his misfortune an opportunity to advance their own agendas. Amidst this chaos, the Pakistani military, long a dominant force in the country’s politics, is facing unprecedented scrutiny and criticism.

In this context, the revival of the Hamdoor Rahman Commission Report appears to be a strategic move by Khan’s supporters and other political actors to undermine the military general’s credibility. By highlighting the military’s past atrocities in East Pakistan, they aim to weaken its current general’s standing and reduce its influence over Pakistani politics. This tactic, however, is as transparent as it is cynical, revealing a deep-seated desperation to shift blame and distract from the country’s pressing issues.

The Inexcusable Manipulation of Bengali Suffering

For Bangladeshis, the use of the Hamdoor Rahman Commission Report for Pakistan’s internal political games is deeply offensive. The Genocide of 1971 is a scar that has not healed; it is a period of immense suffering that continues to shape our national consciousness. The Pakistani military’s actions during the war were not just numbers on a page but brutal realities that affected millions of lives. The killing, raping, and looting left indelible marks on our society, marks that we do not need to be reminded of by those who perpetrated these crimes.

Moreover, Pakistan’s treatment of Bengalis during the 24 years of union was characterised by abhorrent racism, despicable hatred, and derogatory marginalisation. East Pakistan, despite being the primary earner for the country, was systematically fleeced of its wealth, with its people treated as second-class citizens. This history of exploitation and oppression is something Pakistan has never truly acknowledged or atoned for.

Economic Desperation and Crocodile Tears

Today, Pakistan finds itself in dire financial straits. The country has struggled to maintain economic stability without East Pakistan exploiting it. The current economic crisis has only exacerbated the political turmoil, with various factions within Pakistan seeking to deflect blame and find scapegoats. The sudden resurgence of interest in the 1971 genocide and the Hamdoor Rahman Commission Report is part of this broader strategy to divert attention from their own failures.

It is galling to see Pakistani politicians shedding crocodile tears for the victims of 1971 now, decades after they ignored or denied the atrocities. These are not the actions of a country seeking reconciliation or justice; they are the actions of a political class desperate to save face and cling to power. For Bangladeshis, this newfound concern for historical truth is nothing but an eyewash, a farcical attempt to manipulate public sentiment for short-term political gain.

A Call for Genuine Accountability and Respect

If Pakistan is genuinely interested in addressing its past, it must do so with sincerity and humility. This means acknowledging the full extent of the crimes committed in 1971, offering genuine apologies, and seeking ways to make amends. It means treating the memories of Bengali victims with the respect and dignity they deserve, not using them as pawns in political games.

For Bangladeshis, the struggle for liberation was not just a fight against colonial rule but a fight for our identity, dignity, and right to self-determination. We do not need Pakistan to remind us of our history; we live with its consequences every day. We demand respect for our sovereignty and a cessation of the cynical exploitation of our pain for political ends.

Conclusion

The resurrection of the Hamdoor Rahman Commission Report in Pakistani politics is a reprehensible act that disrespects the memory of the millions who suffered during the 1971 genocide. It is a transparent attempt to manipulate historical tragedies for contemporary political gain, revealing the depths of desperation within Pakistan’s political elite. As Bangladeshis, we demand that Pakistan stop using our history as a tool for their internal machinations and instead focus on addressing their own issues with integrity and accountability. Only through genuine reckoning and respect can the wounds of the past begin to heal.

Imran Khan compared himself to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the most significant idiosyncratic parallel ever drawn by some cronies of Imran Khan, infamously known as Taliban Khan, a blasphemous crime of propaganda in the world.

Imran Khan was juxtaposed and propped by Pakistan’s deep state to treat him as their domesticated so-called showpiece of politician to break the vicious status quo of the Shrif Benzir cyclic order of puppet governments. He has now fallen out of grace from his backers and is facing the wrath and avalanche of ramifications, which have strained the facet of the concoction between Imran Khan and the GHQ.

General Asif Munir and Imran Khan’s rivalry has reached all heights in the corridor of conspiracy. The ISI and Army versus Imran Khan and his PTI are opening a plethora of kerfuffle of mammoth magnitude, which lead to Pakistan’s equivalent of the storming of the Bastille.

However, amid all these internal – conspiracies lead to political impasses.’ The emergence of the Hamdoor Rahman Commission Report to draw parallels between the 1971 Bengali Genocide and the Holocaust is totally unfortunate, derogatory and condescending, and it is an insult to those millions of Bengalis who sacrificed their lives under the barrels of the infamous, heinous, barbaric Pakistan Army.

Therefore, we would urge Pakistan to leave Bangladesh alone!