Dacca: The Last Act
Governor Malik, General Niazi and two other senior officers sat in a comfortable room at Government House. They did not talk much. Every few minutes, silence overtook the conversation. The Governor did most of the talking and that, too, in general terms. The crux of his discourse was: things never remain the same. Good situations give way to bad situations and vice versa. Similarly, there are fluctuations in the career of a General. At one time, glory magnifies him while at another defeat demolishes his dignity.
As Dr Malik uttered the last part of his statement, the burly figure of General Niazi quaked and he broke into tears. He hid his face in his hands and started sobbing like a child. The Governor stretched out his elderly arm to General Niazi and, consoling him, said: ‘I know, General Sahib, there are hard days in a commander’s life. But don’t lose heart. God is great.’
While General Niazi was sobbing, a Bengali waiter entered the room with a tray of coffee and snacks. He was immediately howled out as if he had desecrated the room. He came out and announced to his fellow Bengalis, ‘The Sahibs are crying inside.’ The remark was overheard by the West Pakistani Military Secretary to the Governor, who told the Bengalis to shut up. That is how Governor Malik received the most truthful and convincing operational briefing on the war in East Pakistan.
After the exchange of words for tears, he said to General Niazi, ‘As the situation is bad, I think I should cable the President to arrange a cease-fire.’ General Niazi kept quiet for a moment and then, with his head down, said weakly, ‘I will obey.’ The Governor sent a message to Yahya Khan accordingly. No action was, however, taken on this proposal.
General Niazi came back to his headquarters and shut himself in his room. He virtually lay in hibernation for the next three nights. During this period, I went to his room on the night of 8/9 December. Till then, I did not know about the Government House meeting. I saw him resting his head on his forearm, his face totally hidden from the entrant’s view. I cannot say whether he was crying.