Information warfare and psychological operations play an important role in winning any conflict. The importance of these tactics in modern warfare has long been recognized and they were used effectively in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
After the Indian Army made significant progress in the eastern theater for the liberation of Bangladesh, the Pakistani Army suspected that it would move forces from the east to launch a similar attack on West Pakistan.
To play on these fears, the Indian Army used a variety of tactics, including the movement of formations from east to west and a psychological campaign promoting the idea of liberating Pakistan’s Sindh province and establishing an Indus country.
A detailed material was prepared for press release under the title ‘After Bangladesh and now Indus country’. Archival documents indicate that the focus of this campaign was to suggest that the demand for an Indus country was intensifying with the independence of Bangladesh and “soon to become a major thorn in the side of Islamism”.
Using the recent unrest in Sindh province as a backdrop, the campaign claimed that the movement had started advocating an autonomous Sindh province for the country of Sindh. This psychological offensive began before the end of the war in the Eastern theater. On December 12, the Ministry of Defense issued a detailed press release on the “Indus Desh Movement”.
“Sindhis, like Bengalis, have long complained of discrimination and cultural genocide. “Political repression and social ridicule by Pakistan’s ruling class has added fuel to the fire,” the statement said.
The ministry referred to riots and arrests in Sindh, highlighting discrimination against the Sindhi language that led to unrest in cities such as Hyderabad, Karachi and Sukkar in the early 1970s. The army was deployed and educational institutions were closed indefinitely.
Sindhi leaders Qazi Mohammad Akbar and Hafiz Mubarak Al Shah were arrested during the crackdown for allegedly participating in mob violence and engaging in biased activities.
“A glaring example of cultural vandalism was the burning of the library of the Sindhiology Department in Hyderabad, Sindh province. In January this year, some enthusiasts set it on fire. The police report indicated that petrol-soaked rags were used to start the fire, along with evidence of explosive devices. Head of Sindhi Studies Department The damage is said to be huge,” the statement said.
‘Oppression of Sindhis’
A detailed note titled “Opression of Sindhis” outlines the background of oppression faced by Sindhis in various national activities. “To cite an example: The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Karachi, Ghulam Mustafa Shah, a Sindhi, was forced to resign for employing fit and qualified Sindhis in the university. Cases of employment discrimination were reported from institutions such as the Settlement Department, the State Bank and the Karachi Development Authority, who held high positions during the military regime. People have also made fun of the Sindhi dress,” the note said.
In the note, Pakistan’s ruling class insists that Sindhis are treated like foreigners in their homeland.
The ministry also addressed political developments in Sindh in 1971, when the Sindh Provincial Committee of the Pakistan People’s Party expressed concern over the exclusion of Sindh from the national administrative framework. “Sindhi leaders Mir Rasool Bux Talpur and Kamal Azfar spoke on behalf of the committee and criticized the administration for deliberate and deliberate indifference in ignoring party representatives at various administrative levels,” it said.
For the same reason, Yusuf Luhari, another leader of Sindh, while addressing the student community, demanded that Sindh should be given full autonomy and its name should be changed to “Sindh Desh”.
“In March this year, the All Sindh Advocates Conference demanded immediate withdrawal of martial law and transfer of power to elected representatives of the people. Expressed displeasure and displeasure with the central policy on this matter. It also expressed sympathy for the people of Bangladesh,” the note said.
Pakistan’s inter-provincial tensions
The ministry also played into the inter-provincial rivalry between Pakistan’s Sindh and Punjab provinces as the Punjabis dominated the Pakistani political and administrative landscape.
The inter-provincial rivalry between Sindh and West Punjab in Pakistan has reached new heights over the sharing of the Indus River water. The opening of the Link Canal by West Punjab was strongly opposed by Sindh at the Centre. It was feared that more than 800,000 hectares of agricultural land in Sindh province would become barren after the opening of canals in West Punjab in the next five years. Sindh leaders said that despite their protests, West Punjab is going ahead with their canal system without any regard for the economic interests of their province,” the statement said.
It is noted that many self-respecting Sindhi moneylenders were forced to leave their lands. “A top leader, Sindh United Front president GM Syed decided to settle in Afghanistan. He had left Pakistan in early March for the Haj pilgrimage but had decided not to return to Pakistan until the country’s political situation normalized and parliamentary institutions were restored. Syed will be the second national leader to reside in Afghanistan. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan has already been living in Afghanistan for many years,” the note said.
The ministry also addressed the separatist movement in Balochistan, saying a new push for autonomy had begun there under the leadership of Khan Abdus Samad Khan. “Followers of Khan Abdus Samad Khan want an autonomous Balochistan including Kharan, Makran, Kalat and Lasbela regions. Khan Abdus Samad Khan is currently in military custody,” the statement said.
These statements likely created disquiet among the Pakistani leadership about India’s intentions, fostering an atmosphere of uncertainty that could be advantageous to the enemy during wartime.