Rao Farman Ali - Doubts On Rao's Version of 1971

Doubts On Rao's Version of 1971

He served in Dhaka cantonment for more than a decade and was involved in intelligence gathering, making strategic decisions and formulating policies. He was also involved in buying Bengali politicians to subvert nationalist movements. He was in charge of the civil administration, knew about Bangladesh more than his peers.

In the book 'The Betrayal of East Pakistan', General Niazi described General Farman as an opportunist, a conspirator and a swindler. Niazi also said, implicating Farman's involvement in the killing of the intellectuals, that Farman requested Niazi to send him back to Pakistan, for, " Mukti Bahini would kill him of his alleged massacre of the Bangalees and intellectuals on the night of 15–16 December. It was a pathetic sight to see him pale and almost on the verge of break down".

When asked about Farman's refusal to admit his involvement in the killing of the intellectuals Brigadier Siddique Saliq, another senior military officer during the war, said," ....He (Farman) was the major general in charge of civil administration. As such nothing would happen which he would not know?...".

In The Separation of East Pakistan, Mr Hasan Zahir, a Pakistani civil servant wrote: " Major General Farman Ali was the executioner of Dhaka part of " Operation Searchlight". He succeeded in 'shock action' by concentrated and indiscriminate firing on target areas......."

Brigadier Siddique Saliq in his book, Witness to Surrender, wrote,"The plan for operation Searchlight-1 visualized the setting up of two headquarters. Major General Farman with 57 Brigade under Brigadier Arbab, was responsible for operations in Dacca city and its suburbs while Major General Khadim Raja was to look after the rest of the province. In addition Lieutenant General Tikka Khan and his staff were to spend the night at the Martial Law Headquarters in the Second Capital to watch the progress of action in and outside Dacca....."

Mr Altaf Gohar, recounted an incident from his memory. One of Gohar's friends told him that a hit list had been drawn up for elimination of certain Bangalis. A friend of his was also in the list and he requested Gohar if he could do something to save his friend. Gohar then took the matter to one of his close friends who was a common friend with Farman. Gohar's friend met with Farman and requested him to drop the name from his hit list. " Farman took, said Gaohar's friend, a diary out of his drawer and crossed the name out. The name was of Mr Sanaul Huq and he was spared." After civil war of 1971 Farman's diary was recovered from the ruins of the Governor's house. The copy of a page from the diary shows the list of intellectuals from Dhaka University. 14 of them were killed on 14 December 1971.

It is said that Rao Farman suffered from the purity complex, where he believed that due to the Hindu influence, Bengalis were not pure Muslims. Farman firmly believed that the impurities of the Bengalis could have been mended if they were absolved of the Hindu influence.

Maj. Gen. Rao Farman Ali died in 2004 after a brief illness. He was 81. His funeral prayers were held at Army Graveyard, Race Course Rawalpindi. He is survived by a widow, four daughters and a son.