The Rawalpindi Conspiracy
Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case, 1951
Introduction:
Certain events in the history of nations leave deep impacts on their future. Such incidents are always controversial and remain a matter of dispute among sections of the society. The Rawalpindi Conspiracy case is one such incident in our post-independence history which has influenced our political and social history. After a termination of decades, the event ought now to be analyzed objectively in order to learn useful lessons from it as the dust of emotions and sentiments has settled down. The Rawalpindi Conspiracy case was an attempted coup d’état against the government of Liaquat Ali Khan who the first Prime Minister of country. This was the first attempt succeeding a number of attempts against the elected governments of Pakistan in later history. The master mind behind the whole plan was Major General Akbar Khan who was a senior commander of Pakistan Army at that time. And for this plan he got support of some military men and some left wing politicians as well. The main explicit reason behind the conspiracy plan was the war of 1948, which was fought between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. The war over the territory of Kashmir had ended in a ceasefire at 21st December1948 that left North Western Kashmir in Pakistan hands and the rest with India. The ceasefire was deeply resented in the Pakistan Army. Many regarded it as a blunder, which allow the Indian forces to strengthen their position in Kashmir, and deny Pakistani forces the opportunity to completely occupy all the territory. The government resisted the urgings of Pakistani commander to lunch another attack on Indian forces. All this produced frustration and division with in the Army. A conspiracy was lead by military commander supported by the left wing political parties particularly Communist Party of Pakistan. They wanted to replace civil government by military government in 1951. The conspiracy was the first of many subsequent coup attempted
Introduction:
Certain events in the history of nations leave deep impacts on their future. Such incidents are always controversial and remain a matter of dispute among sections of the society. The Rawalpindi Conspiracy case is one such incident in our post-independence history which has influenced our political and social history. After a termination of decades, the event ought now to be analyzed objectively in order to learn useful lessons from it as the dust of emotions and sentiments has settled down. The Rawalpindi Conspiracy case was an attempted coup d’état against the government of Liaquat Ali Khan who the first Prime Minister of country. This was the first attempt succeeding a number of attempts against the elected governments of Pakistan in later history. The master mind behind the whole plan was Major General Akbar Khan who was a senior commander of Pakistan Army at that time. And for this plan he got support of some military men and some left wing politicians as well. The main explicit reason behind the conspiracy plan was the war of 1948, which was fought between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. The war over the territory of Kashmir had ended in a ceasefire at 21st December1948 that left North Western Kashmir in Pakistan hands and the rest with India. The ceasefire was deeply resented in the Pakistan Army. Many regarded it as a blunder, which allow the Indian forces to strengthen their position in Kashmir, and deny Pakistani forces the opportunity to completely occupy all the territory. The government resisted the urgings of Pakistani commander to lunch another attack on Indian forces. All this produced frustration and division with in the Army. A conspiracy was lead by military commander supported by the left wing political parties particularly Communist Party of Pakistan. They wanted to replace civil government by military government in 1951. The conspiracy was the first of many subsequent coup attempted