East Pakistan Civil Armed Force

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East Pakistan Civil Armed Force
পূর্ব পাকিস্তান বেসামরিক সশস্ত্র বাহিনী
LeaderMaj Gen. Jamshed Khan [1]
Dates of operationApril 1971 — December 1971
Allegiance Pakistan
MotivesTo guard strongholds of Pakistani authorities and security forces
Active regions East Pakistan
Size
  • 15,000 — 18,000 (April 1971) [2] [3]
  • 25,000 (May 1971) [4]
Allies Flag of the Pakistani Army.svg Pakistan Army
OpponentsFlag of the Mukti Bahini-DeFacto.svg Mukti Bahini
Flag of Indian Armed Forces.svg Indian Armed Forces
Battles and wars Bangladesh War of Independence

East Pakistan Civil Armed Force [a] (EPCAF) [5] was a paramilitary force that operated in East Pakistan. [6] [7] [8] [9] It replaced the East Pakistan Rifles and was being used to guard Dacca and Pakistani strongholds, It evolved from East Pakistan Rifles. [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

Contents

History

While Pakistan Army with its collaborators, Razakars and Mujahid Bahini was focused on stopping Mukti Bahini-led resistance, EPCAF was given the duty to establish internal security and to guard strongholds of Pakistani forces. [18] [19] [2] [20] EPCAF was raised in April 1971, [21] EPCAF effectively replaced East Pakistan Rifles due to decisions made by A. A. K. Niazi and Major Gen. Jamshed Khan became the Director General (DG) of EPCAF under his order. [22] East Pakistan Civil Armed Force particularly evolved from the East Pakistan Rifles, [10] [11] East Pakistan Civil Armed Force was composed of Bihari Muslims, non-Bengalis of East Pakistan, [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] retired personnel, pro-Pakistan Bengalis [15] and West Pakistani personnel. [23] Initially, EPCAF had about 15 thousand to 18 thousand troops, [2] [3] On May 1971, the amount of total personnel grew to 25,000, [4] EPCAF was divided into at least 17 wings. [29]

On 1 September 1971, East Pakistan Civil Armed Force launched raids on Basti Nasirabad, three miles east of Dacca, and killed 9 Indian agents linked to the Indian Armed Forces and captured one after a clash between EPCAF and Indian forces, at least 9 rifles, 3 stenguns, 5 shotguns, 39 grenades, several hundred cartridges and 43 mines and high amounts of bombs and explosives were captured. [30]

On 2 September 1971, pro-independence Bengali militants attacked Gazaria Thana targeting nearby EPCAF and Razakar positions which resulted in the death of 3 EPCAF troops, 2 Razakars and capture of 11 Razakars and also capture of 15 rifles and 350 rounds of ammunition. [31]

On 12 September 1971, East Pakistan Civil Armed Force and East Pakistan Police launched a raid in Purana Paltan, Dacca and captured 4 rifles, 3 stenguns, 12 grenades and ammunition and clashed with Indian troops in Narayanganj, Dacca, resulting in 1 EPCAF troop being injured and 13 Indian troops being killed in a joint operation. [32]

On December 1971, India's Border Security Force (BSF) attacked and pounded EPCAF positions in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj. [33]

On 9 December 1971, Indian forces launched an attack on Ashuganj and attacked EPCAF troops. [34]

On 13 December 1971, Indian troops clashed with Pakistani forces and EPCAF in Sylhet, at least 19 EPCAF troops were killed and 10 were captured in the Battle of Sylhet. [35]

Deployments

Aftermath

After Pakistani forces were defeated by the Mukti Bahini and Indian Army and surrendered on 16 December 1971 and the Bangladesh War of Independence came to an end, Families of members and leaders of East Pakistan Civil Armed Force were promised rewards and benefits by Pakistani authorities. [38]

Despite being a paramilitary force which operated in East Pakistan under the jurisdiction of the Pakistan Army, unlike the Razakar Bahini and Mujahid Bahini, EPCAF was not involved in war crimes or the Bangladesh genocide and was more focused on repelling Mukti Bahini offensives and guarding Pakistani strongholds and EPCAF was dismantled after December 1971. [18]

References

  1. ↑ Niazi, A.A.K. (1998). The Betrayal of East Pakistan (PDF). Oxford University Press. pp. 85, 88. ISBN   978-0-19-577727-7.
  2. 1 2 3 Niazi, A.A.K. (1998). The Betrayal of East Pakistan (PDF). Oxford University Press. p. 76. ISBN   978-0-19-577727-7.
  3. 1 2 Niazi, A.A.K. (1998). The Betrayal of East Pakistan (PDF). Oxford University Press. pp. 105, 106. ISBN   978-0-19-577727-7.
  4. 1 2 Singh, Sukhwant (1981). India's Wars Since Independence The Liberation Of Bangladesh. Vikas Publishing House. ISBN   9781935501602.
  5. ↑ "Foreign Relations, 1969-1976". U.S Department of State . Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  6. ↑ Citino, Robert M. (2022). Blitzkrieg to Desert Storm. University Press of Kansas. ISBN   9780700634019.
  7. ↑ Nasim, A. S. M (2002). Bangladesh Fights for Independence. Columbia Prokashani. p. 118.
  8. ↑ Singh, Lachhman (1979). Indian Sword Strikes in East Pakistan. University of Michigan. p. 25. ISBN   9780706907421.
  9. ↑ Haroon, Asif (2005). Roots of 1971 tragedy. Sang-e-Meel Publications. pp. 262, 282. ISBN   9789693516777.
  10. 1 2 Haque, Ashraful (16 December 2020). "'The tiger is dead. The tiger is dead'". The Business Standard . Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  11. 1 2 Choudhury, Ziauddin (16 December 2007). "Remembering December 16, 1971". The Daily Star (Bangladesh) . Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  12. ↑ Rahman, Hasan; Hafizur (2009). বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (সপ্তম খণ্ড). Vol. 7. Hakkani Publishers. p. 18.
  13. ↑ Siddiqi, Abdur; Rahman (2004). East Pakistan The Endgame. Oxford University Press. p. 171. ISBN   9780195799934.
  14. ↑ Fight for Bangladesh. Xilbris US. 2011. p. 65. ISBN   9781456845797.
  15. 1 2 Sodhi, Harinder Singh Sodhi (1980). Operation Windfall and Emergence of Bangladesh. University of Michigan. p. 16.
  16. ↑ Foreign Relations of the United States. U.S Government Printing Office. 1969. p. 460.
  17. ↑ Sainik Samachar. Director of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence. 1972. p. 14.
  18. 1 2 Shafiullah, K. M. Bangladesh At War. Accessed 27 April 2025.
  19. ↑ "1971". 5 October 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  20. ↑ Sinh, Ramdhir (18 October 2013). A Talent for War. Vij Books India Private Limited. ISBN   9789382573739.
  21. ↑ Singh, Sukhwant (1981). India's Wars Since Independence The Liberation Of Bangladesh. Vikas Publishing House. ISBN   9781935501602.
  22. ↑ " The Moral Aspect ". Retrieved 26 April 2025. Hamoodur Rahman Commission.
  23. 1 2 Singh, Jagdev (1988). Dismemberment of Pakistan. Lancer International. pp. 61, 184. ISBN   9788170620419.
  24. ↑ "The Pakistanis we forgot". The Express Tribune . 7 June 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  25. ↑ Mannan, Abdul (3 September 2021). "A Bereaved Daughter Seeking Answers". Daily Sun (Bangladesh) . Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  26. ↑ Yousafzal, Zafar Iqbal (January 2022). "SVI Foresight" (PDF). Strategic Vision Institute. p. 21. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  27. ↑ Shehzad, Rizwan (16 December 2021). "Biharis see end to their state of limbo". The Express Tribune . Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  28. ↑ Kaushik Roy, Scott Gates (17 February 2016). Unconventional Warfare in South Asia and Shadow Warriors and Counterinsurgency. Taylor & Francis. p. 117. ISBN   9781317005414.
  29. ↑ Chandar, Udaya (2018). Independent India, All the Seven Wars. Notion Press. ISBN   9781948473224.
  30. ↑ "EPCAF party kills 9 Indian agents near Dacca" (PDF). The Morning News. 1 September 1971. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  31. ↑ Alam, Habibul (2006). Brave of Heart. Academic Press and Publishers Library, University of Michigan. p. 333. ISBN   9789840802012.
  32. ↑ "13 Indian agents killed by EPCAF near Narayanganj" (PDF). The Morning News. 14 September 1971. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  33. ↑ "Sultana Zaman: As I saw her during the Liberation War". New Age (Bangladesh) . 22 March 1971. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  34. ↑ "Infantry Chasing Tanks: 27 Brigade in the Battle of Ashuganj". Hilal Publications. December 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  35. ↑ "Battle of Sylhet" (PDF). Gallantry Awards, Government of India . Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "Pakistan Army deployment in East Pakistan". Songramer Notebook. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  37. ↑ Jacob (1997). Surrender at Dacca, Birth of a Nation. Manohar Publishers & Distributors, University of Michigan. ISBN   9788173041891.
  38. ↑ "PAKISTAN: FAMILIES OF ARMED FORCES MEMBERS SIGN UP FOR BENEFITS IN RAWALPINDI (1971)". British Pathe . 29 December 1971. Retrieved 21 April 2025.

Notes

  1. ↑ Bengali: পূর্ব পাকিস্তান বেসামরিক সশস্ত্র বাহিনী, romanized: Pūrba pākistāna bēsāmarika saśastra bāhinī
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