AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Islamabad: A significant book launch event was held on September 26, 2024, at the Institute of Regional Studies for Dr. Junaid Ahmad’s latest publication, ‘1971 Ethnic Cleansing of Biharis in East Pakistan.’ The event, chaired by Dr. Syed Riffat Hussain, gathered prominent academics who reviewed and discussed the contentious historical narrative detailed within the book.
According to Press Information Department, the session featured insights from Dr. Ashfaque Hasan Khan, Director General at NUST Institute of Policy Studies; Prof. Jawaid Mohsin Malik, a distinguished educator; and Dr. Azima Khatoon, Assistant Professor of Pakistan Studies and IR at International Islamic University Islamabad. Both Dr. Ashfaque and Dr. Azima, who spent their early years in East Pakistan and relocated to Karachi after the fall of Dhaka in 1971, provided personal and academic perspectives on the events discussed in the book.
The author, Dr. Junaid Ahmad, engaged with the audience, answering questions about the historical context and the relevance of his research to current events. He mentioned that the government of Haseena Wajid in Bangladesh had established a commission of international experts and planned a seminar in September at the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, related to the alleged killing of 3 million Bengalis by the Pakistani Army. Dr. Junaid’s book serves as a preparatory analysis ahead of the seminar and the forthcoming report by the Bangladesh-appointed commission.
The book reveals for the first time the atrocities committed against Biharis and Non-Bengalis in East Pakistan from March 1971 to February 1972 by Awami Leaguers, Indian-funded Mukti Bahini terrorists, and Indian soldiers. It estimates that 660,000 Biharis and Non-Bengalis were killed during this period. The narrative is supported by testimonies from survivors, detailed newspaper reports from six major dailies, and acknowledged roles of various stakeholders, including the Indian government and the Awami League, in the breakup of Pakistan in 1971.
This publication not only revisits a painful chapter of South Asian history but also contributes to ongoing discussions about nationalism, ethnicity, and the complexities of historical memory in the region.
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