MISSION IMPOSSIBLE :
THE GREAT CENTO LET DOWN!
During the 1971 war maj Gen (Retd) S WAJAHAT HUSSAIN, former Pakistan Ambassador to AUSTRALIA and GREECE was deputed by the government of Pakistan to mobilise logestic from our CENTO allies. His observations are a tremendous pointers to self-reliance
The East Pakistan crisis was nearing its climax. Its agonising demise was clearly on the horizon whilst the West Pakistan’s military and political situation was deteriorating. One evening reviewing the fast moving events amongst our colleagues in important assignments all showed concern and despair. I was waiting for posting as the start of the War ended NDC Course I was attending and the National Defence College had closed down. None of us had any illusions about the reported move of the US Seventh Fleet and the expected para drops of "friends from across the mountains"! The expected Indian offensive launched in East Pakistan supported by Mukti Bahinis, immediately after our weak showing of hands in West Pakistan, had moved fast supported by their armour through the Eastern Command’s supposedly un-tankable country, poised to encircle Dhaka. General Niazi’s dispersed forces in penny packets along the border, instead of concentrating to defend Dacca, against the fundamental rules of defence, left the capital defenceless. Our fallacious political and strategic myth of "East Pakistan’s defence lay in West Pakistan" was in tatters. Our weak ripostes in West Pakistan failed to make any dent whilst the enemy having successfully contained us had occupied some real estate. Our Airforce failing to repeat its ‘65 performance had lost its edge as the IAF with impunity inflicted heavy losses. Logistically with the extensive stocking of Eastern Wing for protracted operations, we had scrapped the barrels in the West. Political control was lost and the Army High Command was in disarray. The nation, dumb-founded was in perilous shock. Earlier in the day I have had two close shaves thanks to low flying Indian fighters: in the second one just scraped through with my son under my arm as the MIGs bursts scraped overhead missing us by inches outside my Topi Park residence.
The same night on urgent summons from GHQ learnt of appointment as special envoy of the President to proceed post-haste on a very special and most urgent mission to Tehran and Ankara to expedite procurement of defence supplies from our friends, requested months ago under the CENTO agreement, negotiate fresh defence requirements and immediately arrange trans-shipment of our blocked supplies. lying in Europe via Turkey and Iran to Pak border: the three services were facing serious shortages, and assistance from our CENTO partners was expected under the agreement and understanding between the members. Our ambassadors in Tehran and Turkey, both senior professional diplomats, had been re-assuring with no results! Even the contracts signed more than six months ago with the Turks, our regular suppliers, for badly needed artillery ammunition had not been honored. The desertion of East Pakistan sailors from our ships aggravated the situation as ships were stranded with abandoned defence stores, at Odessa and other ports. Trans-shipment of these stores across Turkey by train and through Iran by road was to be arranged.
The foreign office next day was to brief me and make necessary arrangements with Tehran and Ankara. President’s letter of appointment was under issue. Proceeding to Peshawar by staff car and then by mail bus to Kabul to be flown to Tehran was all arranged.
Next morning coordinating the urgent requirement of the three services was flooded with frantic requests from fighter aircrafts, submarines to blankets and boots! Pathetic that country exporting textiles and leather products could not even supply blankets and boots to its Forces? POFs production was held up for want of a small box of critical spares of small arms to be sent by PIA on collection from their regular Turkish suppliers, who had not replied inspite of repeated requests. Foreign office briefing was most disappointing, nor was any cell for crisis management was set up. In a slipshod manner reference to some "understanding under CENTO for assistance and between the Heads of States", was mentioned with the stock answer to consult the Ambassadors concerned. Luckily in the Army we all kept fairly abreast with current developments in international relations. Recently having led two defence delegations to Iran conversant with our relations knew the Iranians well.
Ironically receiving in the late afternoon my appointment letter as "Special Envoy Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary" with the substantial sum of US Twenty five million dollars placed at my disposal - that very day Dacca fell I was leaving for my onerous mission! The last official letter General Yahya signed! Reaching Peshawar late at night saw his house set ablaze by the angry mob, arrived Kabul next evening by the mail-cum-coal rickety bus. Ambassador General Shireen with difficulty having arranged a seat in Iran Air, after un-loading an air hostess, got me to Tehran next morning. Ambassador Shahnawaz in Tehran though overly optimistic had arranged meetings with General Toofanian, the all powerful Shah’s Defence/War Minister, in an hour’s time and if needed audience with the Shahinshah. Having had an audience with the Shah day earlier he had informed HIM of my visit. He did add Shah’s great concern over Russia’s concentration of a dozen divisions on the border in Azarbaijan! Our competent Defence Attached accompanying me hurriedly briefed me on the way on the actual situation to inform that the Iranians had made no commitments whatsoever, only offering at high price their unsaleable poor quality civilian blankets having earlier promised to give army blankets from their reserve stock.
On the way reflecting my country’s plight with the adverse turn of events my last meeting with the Shah and Toofanian earlier in the year in Lahore flashed in my mind; whilst giving a specially arranged armour demonstration projecting our Chinese tanks characteristics to impress upon the Shah for its proposed combined Iran-Pak production as part of CENTO cooperation.
Toofanian, immediately recognizing, was very affable and after extending his and Shahinshah’s concern over the tragedy started by offering an AA Artillery Regiment of 40-mm Bofors WWII Vintage. Aware of Iranian keenness to dispose off their obsolete junk, I politely refused to accept, mentioning that we may have suffered major setback but were a modern army with current equipment. He then regretted any other material help without US clearance but were ready to buy for us anything at two five percent commissions, which I flatly refused remembering having been taken for rides with such deals in the 1965 War. |
He offered "excellent Iranian blankets at DM 40 per piece" upon which I could not help saying that Pak Army could endure another winter without such expensive blankets. Reminding him of his last promise for supply from their army reserve he backed out as no longer available. During our conversation he spoke to Shahinshah apprising him of our meeting. With nothing forthcoming we discussed the passage of our supplies overland from Turkey to our border to which after lot of hesitation and conditions he agreed. Futile to follow any further, I returned to the Embassy and informed the surprised Ambassador of the actual negative position. Defence Secretary and GHQ were immediately informed, the former said Tehran’s response was expected directing me to proceed to more helpful Ankara.
Next day after meeting Ambassador Iftikhar Ali in Ankara Embassy, expecting longish stay, I was given an office in the Embassy. The Turks showed lot of affection and sympathy but were reticent to help. The defence heirarcy responsible for logistics and assistance consistently dragged their feet. With great difficulty after a fortnight’s efforts got them for a meeting to talk seriously. Across the table all very senior and nearly twice my age Generals kept on harping on brotherly love, serving lot of tea and sweets with sympathy, but short on substance. Kept postponing further meetings on slightest pretexts. Meanwhile, expecting long haul protracted negotiations I had arranged for our UKs supply mission officers to join me with instructions to collect the latest prices and conditions of armaments, ammunition etc. available in UK and European markets. They did a great job working round the clock. Having contacted the topman of the Turkish Munitions factory, similar to POF, learnt that our contract for badly needed ammunition signed well before the war, with advances paid, was still inoperative for unknown reasons. Similarly the small packet of spares despite daily promises was not dispatched. In the next meeting the generals gave a list of armaments available to assist us, remarking that in view of US embargo on third party transfer they could not part with any of their equipment mostly supplied by US. However, they would make immediate request to General Haig, US Chief of Staff, for special permission to assist their valued CENTO Member. The list was most intriguing! Racking my brain, though well up to date with modern armament developments, I could not identify any of the items. Suddenly it dawned that they were all World War I and Gallipoli campaign left over, the last wars Turks fought! Also learnt that the Russians had concentrated 30 Divisions on their Anatolian border.
Back at home the political climate had changed with Mr. Bhutto in power and General Gul Hasan as Army Chief. Although on arrival sensing the atmosphere I had signaled GHQ that "contrary to GHQ/Ministry’s expectations nothing was available on shelves to pick up and dispatch" they kept pressing for expeditious actions. Realising the futility of the "brotherly approach" I decided to deal squarely in clear business terms. Consequently, next time cutting out all frills, told them politely but firmly that we had faced temporary setbacks but were neither down militarily nor economically and were a modern army therefore thanking them their offer of the museum pieces was not acceptable. I reiterated my disappointment to them over the time and manner the negotiations had dragged on impressing upon them that "had Turkey been in trouble without getting involved in any such meetings we would have opened our stores to the Turkish brothers to take whatever they needed". Whereupon apologetically they showed their inability to offer any current stuff but offered to buy anything for us at small agreed commission which I turned down. The matter of prolonged delay in not supplying contracted ammunition came up. They came out for the first time with new price, due to price escalation and dollar fluctuations, having jacked it up by more than US$ 15.00 per piece to the contractual agreed price! Having done our homework, I replied that though we were under no contractual obligations to pay their new ridiculous high price but taking all factors into account and for the sake of our friendship no more than 2.5 dollars would be added to the previously agreed price. If that was not acceptable we could buy readily available and cheaper ammunition in Europe terminating our contract. After considerable discussion at last they relented, came down to our re-negotiated price promising to start delivery soon.
Soon after we discovered they tried to pass on very old ammunition charging for new: warning them that any ammunition older than one year will be charged at 5% depreciation in price and nothing more than 2/3 years will be acceptable : finally agreed by them. About the same time a very large sum of money as normal transaction between POF and Turkish factory arrived to be paid to them. Inviting their Manager, a nice and cooperative person I had come to respect, asked him in confidence the real reason for not sending the small package to Wah. He confided that he had orders from the top not to send anything without advance cash payment! Flabbergasted I responded "having just paid you millions do you think we won’t be able to pay few thousand dollars for these miserable little items, please wait and I will get you the money now and you take my officer to your factory and give him the package". While he waited I got a cheque from the ambassador for him. The same afternoon at last the package was duly dispatched by PIA.
We then pursued the passage of our defence stores lying at Istanbul, Odessa and other ports. After considerable running round arrangements were finally made for their safe transit with some amusing experiences. Accompanied by the Ambassador we called on the Railway Minister at Istanbul to tie-up movement program. As usual after long expressions of love, sympathy, special considerations etc. and agreeing to our requests, he ceremoniously unlocked his drawer and presented me a "highly classified very exclusive document for our real friend, "copy of their goods and parcels trains time table! I could not restrain myself from saying "your excellency thanks for this, I appreciate your kind considerations but may I say such documents in my country are available for few cents at every railway stalls and book shops".
Realising the improvement in our political situation and certain there won’t be another round, it was pointless to try for any other items at exhorbitant prices. Preferring to wait during the breather we got we could get better equipment at more acceptable prices. Though I kept on pressing the Turks for the promised clearance from General Haig, making it quite a joke; the "Bottle of Haig" never arrived as I knew it would not! However,
My conducting officer, a senior Turkish Colonel, informed me that the Turkish Government wanted to make a presentation to their brother country of some badly needed arms and armament and would I please see the stores. Despite my polite decline he kept on pestering me. Finally, I agreed to have a look after the Ambassador’s persistence : in a small army store lying in a corner were few coils of telephone cables, couple of old rusted 3-in mortars and similar bits and pieces! I felt like crying: was it a joke, an affront or mere ignorance! |
Quietly I turned about controlling myself with great difficulty! Luckily soon after Mr. Bhutto arrived on his whirl word tour of Muslim countries. Having known my mission he was fully briefed on the situation. He remarked that having learnt of the CENTO Members negative approach he was getting out of the organisation. I was instructed to return after winding up the affairs. Soon after clearing my decks I returned bringing back intact the much needed funds placed at my disposal, procuring the badly needed artillery ammunition at our price and arranging the trans-shipment of our stranded warlike stores to Pakistan. Whatever the Turks so graciously gave us during the crisis was later duly returned with thanks by Mr. Bhutto/Pakistan Army.
The Mission was a very frustrating and bitter experience but an interesting and useful eye-opener nevertheless, placing in correct practical perspective our fallacious approach and mythical notions. My detailed report submitted to the Army Chief and Ministry of Defence perhaps never saw light of the day. The lessons enumerated were obvious. But as with all political and some military lessons the only lesson we have learnt is not to learn; with disdain and impunity.
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| THE AUTHOR
Ambassador Maj Gen (Retd) S. Wajahat Hussain is a Graduate from Muslim University Aligarh (India). Joined the First Post World War II Regular Course at the (British) Indian Military Academy Dehra Dun, was commissioned in 1946 in the Indian Armoured Corps' 21st KGVO Central India Horse. At Partition serving with his regiment in the Punjab Boundary Force, participated in active operations in East Punjab maintaining law and order and escorting millions of Muslim refugees to Pakistan. Held various command, staff and instructional appointments including ADC to C-in-C Army, BM Armoured Brigade, Directing Staff Command and Staff College, command of armoured regiments, colonel staff armoured division and armoured brigade commander. Commanding an Armoured Task Force participated in the 1965 War in the Battles of Chawinda sector and was awarded Imtiazi Sanad. In the 1971 crisis was the President's Special Envoy to CENTO countries for defence support. Commanded an armoured division and was Commandant of the Command and Staff College, Quetta. To study the 1973 Arab-Israeli Ramadan War lessons led Prime Minister's Special Defence Delegation to Cairo, Damascus and Amman and submitted the 1973 Arab-Israel War Report for Pakistan Government. Was Ambassador to Greece and later to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and South Pacific Islands. His Military education includes National Defence College and Graduation from Command and Staff College Quetta, The Royal Armoured Corps School UK and The Armour School Fort Knox, USA. Presently The Colonel of the Guides Cavalry FF. |
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