In a significant development, Border Security Force (BSF) constable Purnam Kumar Shaw was repatriated to Bharat on May 14, marking his return after 21 days of captivity in Pakistan amidst heightened tension between the two countries after the deadly terror attack at Pahalgam where 26 innocent civilians were brutally killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists.
The repatriation of Shaw despite a heightened state of tension marks the continuation of the impeccable record of the incumbent Union Government led by Narendra Modi in bringing back almost all the defence personnel who were either captured by the enemy state during the time of conflict or being jailed in a foreign land in recent years.
Expressing her delight over the repatriation of his husband, Purnam’s wife said “Earlier we were scared when we heard the news of his capture by Pakistan, particularly at a time when there was an attack in Pahalgam and a conflict broke out, we were worried that my husband was held captive in a country with which we were at war. But I am happy today that he has returned and safe”.
Modi Ji has avenged the killing of people at Pahalgam and also brought back my ‘Sindoor’, ‘Suhaag’ within a week’s time, I will never forget this day,” said the expecting wife of Purnam.
The repatriation of Purnam comes amidst Bharat and Pakistan recently coming closer than ever to commence a full-fledged war after six decades leaving many to compare the scenarios and outcome of the last war fought by the two countries in the winters of 1971 to the latest conflicts between the two nations in recent time.
Notably, despite a splendid victory against the enemy at the operational front which compelled around 93k Pakistani soldiers to surrender arms, marking only the second such large scale surrender in modern times, the overall strategic achievements of the 1971 war has always been an issue of debate among experts and commentators.
With many highlighting Bharat’s failure to sustain its victory on dialogue table, more particularly on the issue of illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir’s territory by Pakistan (PoJK) and to secure the release of all Prisoners of War (PoWs) captured by Pakistan despite a decisive victory on the operational front.
There are numerous reports, indicating the presence of at least 54 Bharatiya PoWs languishing in Pakistani jails since the last time the two countries fought a full-fledged war, some suffering from serious mental and physical illnesses when their whereabouts were last reported, some possibly died due to extreme mental agony while some waiting for their turn as their hope vanishes after suffering years of unbearable torture in an enemy land, hostile to their motherland.
Quoting Julfikar Ali Bhutto, the former prime minister of Pakistan who was jailed and put into Kot Lakhpat Rai prison in Lahore, Victoria in her book mentioned about the letter wrote by Bhutto to the jail authorities to shift the Bhartiya PoWs who were kept in the barrack next to him stating “Fifty odd lunatics were lodged in the ward next to mine. Their screams and shrieks in the dead of night are something I will not forget.”
The correspondent in his book titled Bhutto: Trial and execution has further provided a glimpse of the inhuman torture suffered by the Bhartiya PoWs.
The correspondent wrote “His cell, separated from a barrack area by a 10-foot-high wall, did not prevent him from hearing horrific shrieks and screams at night from the other side of the wall. One of Mr. Bhutto’s lawyers made enquiries among the jail staff and ascertained that they were in fact Indian prisoners-of-war who had been rendered delinquent and mental during the course of the 1971 war”.
The incident indicates the height of injustice suffered by these men who once lion heartedly fought for their motherland, yet forgotten by their own government who failed to secure their release before repatriating over 90k Pakistani soldiers after the famous ‘Shimla Agreement’ signed between the then Pakistani President Julfikar Ali Bhutto and the then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi.
93000 Pakistani prisoners of war repatriated to Pakistan
The war of 1971 resulted in resounding victory for Bharat with Pakistan dividing into two, providing a clear-cut edge on the negotiations held after. The Indian government led by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi generously allowed the repatriation of Pakistani soldiers captured at the eastern front of the war, stretching hardly for just two weeks.
The Pakistan on the other side cunningly made faulty entries in their books about the captured Bharatiya PoWs, hiding their presence on the other side of the borders, more likely in an act of vengeance after the crushing defeat on the war front.
Highlighting the grave mistake done by the government Brigadier (Retd) H S Ghuman informed India Today “The irony is that India released their 93,000 prisoners but failed to get 54 Indians whose fate is not known. The reality is that their case was taken up half-heartedly. The government does not only ignore their sacrifices but also the tears of their families who still hope that they will return alive one day”.
Ghuman cites poor representation of the officials and faulty documentation by the Pakistani authorities behind the catastrophe suffered by Bhartiya PoWs who once proudly fought for Bharat.
Ample evidences to suggest presence of Bhartiya PoWs in Pakistan
People associated with research work related to the missing PoWs believed that there were ample evidence available to make a case for these PoWs who were left to rotten in the Pakistani jails for their lifetime.
Letters of Major AK Suri:- For instance a handwritten note reached the Faridabad based residence of Dr RS Suri, father of missing POW, Major Ashok Suri of 5 ASSAM in December 1974. The covering note containing the slip sent by Major Suri read “Your son is alive and is in Pakistan. I could only bring his slip, which I am sending you. Now going back to Pakistan,” signed Abdul Hamid. The slip inside the cover read “I am quite OK here”.
Months later another letter reached the same residence in which Major Suri mentioned that he along with 20 more personnel of Indian Army are alive and languishing in Pakistani jail. The handwriting of major AK Suri was later confirmed by the experts.
The letter read, “Dear Daddy, Ashok touches thy feet to get your benediction. I am quite ok here. Please try to contact the Indian Army or Government of India about us. We are 20 officers here. Don’t worry about me. Pay my regards to everybody at home, specially to mummy, grandfather – Indian government can contact Pakistan government for our freedom.”
Following the confirmation of the handwriting by experts, the then Defence Secretary changed the official status of Major Suri from “killed in action” to “missing in action”.
Major AK Ghosh and Flight lieutenant VV Tambhay:- What will be more ironical that Major AK Ghosh of 15 Rajput whose picture was reportedly published in ‘Time’ Magzine in December 1971 too never made a return to Bharat?
Ghosh was clicked last when he was reportedly lodged at the infamous Kot Lakhpat prison of Lahore. According to author and researcher Sarvesh Saini, Ghosh was reportedly repatriated to Bharat in 1988 in an unsounded mental state as a result of severe torture by Pakistani authorities for years. Ironically, Ghosh repatriation was not accepted by authorities at the Wagah border due to his ill-mental state, forcing his return to enemy’s captivity.
According to Saini, Flt. V.V Tambay was also reportedly lodged at Kot Lakhpat jail between the years 1978-1988. The details of his whereabouts were revealed by a Bhartiya prisoner who was lodged at the same prison facility and later repatriated to Bharat.
Tambay’s presence in captivity of Pakistan was later confirmed by a Bangladeshi naval officer who informed about the same to Tambhy’s wife when she met with the said official during the former’s visit to Bharat for a professional course in 1984.
Years later, Flt. Tambay’s Uncle Jayant Jatar visited Pakistan for a sports tournament in 1989 and requested the then Governor of Pakistan Tikka Khan to allow a visit with his nephew. Khan surprisingly agreed for the visit and took Jatar to an unknown detention centre in a blindfolded state.
When Jatar reached there he found himself standing in front of his nephew, Jatar however was not allowed to have a word with Flt. Tambay.
The stories and evidences surfaced related to Major Suri, Major Ghosh and Flt. Tambay are not exceptions and there are numerous stories related to PoWs of the 1971 war languishing in inhuman condition at Pakistani jail.
According to writer, author and commentator, James Macleran, a Canadian human rights activist visiting the Lahore jail in the year 2003 was called up by a few prisoners, claiming to be held in the war of 1971. Though, the activist was not allowed to establish a contact with the said prisoners’.
Further the story of a Sikh Bhartiya PoW of 1971 war, lodging in prison located in an isolated island in Oman also surfaced after he approached a Bhartiya carpenter who had gone for a work in the said prison facility in 2012. The soldier introduced himself as Sepoy Jaspal Singh.
The carpenter narrated his ordeal following his return to Bharat, the Government of Oman however later denied about the presence of any such Bhartiya POW.
Needless to mention here that the delegations of relatives of these POWs also visited the Pakistani prisons in search of their dear once for thrice, i.e. in the year 1983, 1990 and 2007 though it was evident that such visits under the watchful eyes of ISI and Pakistani Army was going to be futile and yield no outcome.
What has changed in recent years?
Although Bharat has not fought a full-fledged war since 1971, the approach of the government in dealing with any incident of captured defence personnel in recent years has witnessed a drastic change.
For instance it was only in three days (58hours) that the same Pakistani authorities were compelled to repatriate the then Bhartiya Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthman after he was captured alive in Pakistan while retaliating to a Pakistani offensive, following the Balakot Strike in the year 2019.
Further, the Union Government also succeeded in securing the release of 8 former naval officers who were lodging in Qatar’s captivity and were sentenced to death on alleged charges of espionage, signifying Bharat’s changed approach in dealing with such sensitive matters.
It is quite understandable that the era till late 90s had no social media, making it easier to conceal information, further the policy of the consecutive Bhartiya governments to resolve any underlying issues between the two countries through bilateral means could have further prevented the Bhartiya authorities to take up the matter with the international community.
However, despite this had the then government been more sensitive and cautious in its approach in bringing back all the Bhartiya POWs while repatriating the 93000 prisoners given the track record of Pakistan, the tragedy of the ‘missing 54’ could have been well avoided.
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