RESTRICTED

BANGLADESH MILITARY ACADEMY

MILITARY HISTORY
CHAPTER 7

PAKISTAN DEFENCE PLAN

"If you do not know others and do not know yourself, you will be in danger in every single
battle." Art of War- Sun Tzu

References:

A. Bangladesh War of Liberation by Major General Imamuz Zaman, Bir Bikrom.

B. Mukti Bahini Wins Victory by Major General A T M Abdul Wahab.
C. Fights for Independence – Lieutenant General A S M Nasim (Retired), Bir Bikrom.

1. Introduction. After the crack down on 25 March 71, the whole Bengalee
nation became united to protest against the most heinous genocide of the world. Students,
laborers, intellectual’s service personnel’s all started leaving the then East Pakistan towards
the border. The officers and Jawans of 1,2,3,4, and 8 East Bengal regiments police, EPR
encountered the Pakistan Army within the area of operations and at last, all crossed the
border by the second week of Apr 71. In India extensive training took place and as a result
more than 1,00,000 freedom fighters along with 3 Regular brigades popularly known as ‘Z’
force, ‘S’ force and ‘K’ force came into being. Full scale guerrilla operations started within
the occupied territory throughout the months from May 71 to December 71 till the liberation.
From August 71 the involvement of Indian army with the freedom fighters and Bangladesh
regular forces started increasing. Skirmishes between Indian army and Pakistan army in the
eastern border became normal phenomena which could dictate very clearly an imminent
armed conflict between India and Pakistan. At last the 14 days war broke out on 03
December 71 and ended on 16 December 71 with the liberation of Bangladesh.

2. Aim. To study the defence plan of Pakistan.

3. Enabling Objectives.

a. To learn the various aspects of defense of the Pakistan Army.

b. To examine critically the advantages and disadvantages of the adopted plan.

c. To know the ORBAT and disposition of Pakistani forces.

4. Plan of Pakistan Army. Lieutenant General Niazi, Commander, Pakistan Army in

the then East Pakistan had the following options:

a. Border thinly held with strong mobile reserve.

b. Deploy along the borders and gradually withdraw behind the major rivers to
defend Dhaka bowl.

7-1
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

(1) Advantages.

(a) Such dispersion could check united sudden attack/ invasion by

Indian army.

(b) Such dispersion could check infiltration by guerrillas.

(2) Disadvantages.

(a) Involves dispersion of his own forces in pockets.

(b) Exposure during withdrawal to raids by IAF by day and guerrillas

by night.

(c) Since the Pakistan Army has to disperse thinly, the Indian Army
could come and achieve a break through at any chosen point and
defeat Pakistan army in detail.

c. Concentrate on the Defences of Dhaka Bowl.

(1) Advantage. Defence of Dhaka bowl would determine

the fate of East Pakistan.

(2) Disadvantages.

(a) Surrendering a large chunk of territory without a fight.

(b) Surrender of territory would encourage Mukti Bahini to

undertake operations and raise the morale. This course was politically
not acceptable by Islamabad.

d. Fortress Concept. According to this the Pakistanis would convert

important borders towns and communication cities into theatre fortress along the
main axis of advance from India and defend them to the last.

(1) Advantages.

(a) Each fortress can be made self sufficient in terms of men,

materials, arms, ammunition, ration and POL for a considerable period
of time.

(b) Each of the fortresses will have local fortress in front to give
them depth in order to deny the advance force and again of
information of main direction advance.

(c) India will have to employ forces several times greater than the
defenders to neutralize these fortresses which would involve advance
of forces from other theatre of operations and thereby weakening the
overall defence of India.

7-2
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

FORTRESS
DEFENCE

DHAKA

(d) In the event of not employing greater volume of force, to neutralize each
fortress, Indian troops have to bypass the fortress which would expose its flank and
rear to the defender which will enable them to trap the attacker within the fortress
and deal with them separately.

(e) If the attackers choose to reduce these fortresses he was bound to suffer
heavy casualties and spend much time (Gaining time was the most important factor
to earn political gain).

(f) As these fortresses were located ahead of major rivers the advancing column
would be stopped well forward with the loss of little territory.

(g) Fortress could undertake offensive operations against infiltrating columns and
inflict serious casualties on them in addition to assisting nearest fortress.

7-3
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

5. Final Plan. Depending on the threat assessment and analysis and also
weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each course, Lieutenant General Niazi
opted for the fortress concept, i,e, the last one but with the maximum of deployment along
the periphery. Islamabad approved the plan that Lieutenant General Niazi had opted for,
with the following inclusions:

a. Dhaka should be treated as crucial for the defence of East Pakistan.

b. Offensive action towards MALDAHA and raid on FARAKKA BARRAGE

should be included in the plan.

6. ORBAT and Disposition of Pakistan Army.

a. 9 Infantry Division - Jessore, Major General Ansari.

b. 14 Infantry Division – Asshuganj, Major General Majid.

c. 16 Infantry Division – Natore, Major General Najar Hossain.

d. 36 Infantry Division – Dhaka, Major General Jamshed.

e. 39 Infantry Division – Laksham, Major General Rahim.

f. 93 Independence Brigade – Chittagong, Brigadier Ataullah.

g. 6 x Artillery Regiments.

h. Some independent field and batteries.

j. 8 x Squadron of Chafee tanks.

k. 20 x F-86 sabre jet and 2 x squadron of helicopter.

l. Para Military Forces:

(1) Rajakar.

(2) Muzahid.

(3) Al Badar.

(4) Al Shams.

7-4
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

INITIAL DEPLOYMENT OF PAKISTAN FORCES

7. Conclusion. Basing on the adopted plan, Pakistan Army emphasized on the

defence of Dhaka. Pakistan Army placed a lot of importance on Dhaka defence but failed to
manage enough troops to defend it and ultimately conceded the defeat in December 1971.

7-5
RESTRICTED