View source for Pakistani Instrument of Surrender

{{Short description|Written agreement of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War}}
{{pp|small=yes}} 
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}{{Infobox document
|document_name = Instrument of Surrender of Pakistan
|image = 1971 Instrument of Surrender.jpg
|image_size = 
|image_alt = 
|caption = Lt. Gen. [[A. A. K. Niazi]] of the [[Pakistan Army]] signing the Instrument of Surrender under the direction of Lt. Gen. [[Jagjit Singh Aurora]] of the [[Indian Army]] and [[Mukti Bahini|Bangladesh Forces]]<!--see Text of the Instrument--><ref name="ny" />
|date_created = 
|date_ratified =16 December 1971 
|location_of_document =[[Dhaka|Dacca]], [[East Pakistan]] (now [[Bangladesh]]) 
|signers = {{flagdeco|Pakistan|army}} {{nowrap|[[A. A. K. Niazi]]}}<br />{{flagdeco|India|army}} {{nowrap|[[Jagjit Singh Aurora]]}}
|purpose = Ending the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] and the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
|subject=Surrender of the [[Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan|Pakistan Armed Forces Eastern Command]]}}
The '''Pakistani Instrument of Surrender''' ({{langx|bn|পাকিস্তানের আত্মসমর্পণের দলিল|translit=Pākistānēr Ātmôsômôrpôṇēr Dôlil}}) was a legal document signed between [[India]] (alongside the [[Provisional Government of Bangladesh]]) and [[Pakistan]] to end the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] and the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Burke |first=S. M. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/234380949 |title=Mainsprings of Indian and Pakistani foreign policies |date=1974 |publisher=University of Minnesota Press |isbn=978-0-8166-6172-5 |location=Minneapolis |oclc=234380949 |quote=...continuing deadlock over the release of some 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war, including 15,000 civilian men, women and children, captured in East Pakistan (the few hundred prisoners captured by each side on the Western front were exchanged on December 1, 1972). |page=216}}</ref><ref name="nyt2">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/12/17/archives/dacca-captured-guns-quiet-in-bengali-area-but-war-goes-on-at.html | title=Dacca Captured | work=The New York Times | date=17 December 1971 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/an-unprecedented-surrender-and-the-birth-of-a-nation-101671215066742.html | title=An unprecedented surrender, and the birth of a nation | date=16 December 2022 }}</ref> Per the trilateral agreement, the Pakistani government surrendered the [[Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan|Armed Forces Eastern Command]],<ref name="ny">{{cite news |title=The Surrender Document |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/12/17/archives/the-surrender-document.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=17 December 1971 |access-date=19 June 2021 |archive-date=16 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216212222/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/12/17/archives/the-surrender-document.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite Banglapedia| article = Prisoners_of_War,_Trial_of}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Flashback: From behind the barbed wire |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/771713/flashback-from-behind-the-barbed-wire |work=Dawn |access-date=16 December 2021 |language=en |date=16 December 2012 |archive-date=16 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216211433/https://www.dawn.com/news/771713/flashback-from-behind-the-barbed-wire |url-status=live }}</ref> thereby enabling the establishment of the [[Bangladesh|People's Republic of Bangladesh]] over the territory of [[East Pakistan]]. The document was signed by India's Lt. Gen [[Jagjit Singh Aurora]] and Pakistan's [[A. A. K. Niazi]], and led to the surrender of 93,000 Pakistanis — the world's largest surrender in terms of number of personnel since [[World War II]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Koul|first=Bill K.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CW78DwAAQBAJ&dq=largest+pow+after+ww2+1971&pg=PA254|title=The Exiled Pandits of Kashmir: Will They Ever Return Home?|date=2020|publisher=Springer Nature|isbn=978-981-15-6537-3|pages=254|language=en|quote=More than 90,000...., the largest ever since World War 2.|access-date=20 January 2022|archive-date=27 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727160759/https://books.google.com/books?id=CW78DwAAQBAJ&dq=largest+pow+after+ww2+1971&pg=PA254|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=16 December 2021 |title=Country marks 50 years of 1971 war|language=en-IN |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-modi-hails-indias-armed-forces-bangladeshi-freedom-fighters-on-vijay-diwas/article37966588.ece|access-date=2022-01-26|issn=0971-751X|quote=It was the largest military surrender after the Second World War and the Indian armed forces, along with Mukti Bahini, liberated Bangladesh in a span of just 13 days and also the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers, the largest surrender of armed forces post Second World War. |archive-date=26 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126060442/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-modi-hails-indias-armed-forces-bangladeshi-freedom-fighters-on-vijay-diwas/article37966588.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite the agreement, Pakistan did not formally [[International recognition of Bangladesh#Pakistan|recognize Bangladeshi sovereignty]] until February 1974.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/02/23/archives/pakistan-admits-that-bangladesh-exists-as-nation-prime-minister.html | title=Pakistan Admits That Bangladesh Exists as Nation | work=The New York Times | date=23 February 1974 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/news/recognition-equals-1881703 | title=Recognition, as equals | date=17 March 2020 }}</ref>

The ratification of the agreement by all sides also marked the end of the [[Bangladesh genocide]], perpetrated by Pakistan during the conflict. Bangladesh and the [[Indian Armed Forces]] celebrate Pakistan's 1971 defeat and surrender on an annual basis, observing 16 December as [[Victory Day (Bangladesh)|Victory Day]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/vijay-diwas-23-how-indian-army-made-pakistani-counterpart-surrender-in-just-13-days-liberated-bangladesh/articleshow/106045731.cms | title=Vijay Diwas '23: How Indian Army made Pakistani counterpart surrender in just 13 days & liberated Bangladesh | newspaper=The Economic Times | date=16 December 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/victory-day-celebrated-552862 | title=Victory Day celebrated | date=16 December 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/12/25/archives/birth-of-a-nation.html | title=Birth of a Nation | work=The New York Times | date=25 December 1971 }}</ref>

==Surrender ceremony==
[[File:1. স্বাধীনতা স্তম্ভ.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Swadhinata Stambha]] ({{Literal translation|Independence Monument}}) in [[Suhrawardy Udyan]] (formerly known as the Ramna Race Course), which stands at the place where the Pakistani Instrument of Surrender was signed in 1971.]]

The surrender ceremony took place at the [[Suhrawardy Udyan|Ramna Race Course]] in [[Dhaka|Dacca]], [[East Pakistan]] (now [[Bangladesh]]), on 16 December 1971: [[A. A. K. Niazi]] of the [[Pakistan Army]] formally surrendered to [[Jagjit Singh Aurora]], an [[Indian Army]] officer and joint commander of the [[Mukti Bahini|Bangladesh Forces]]. [[A. K. Khandker]], Deputy Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Forces, represented the [[Provisional Government of Bangladesh]] at the ceremony.<ref name="Levie1974"/>

Also present from the Pakistani Eastern Command were [[Mohammad Shariff]] of the [[Pakistan Navy]] and [[Patrick Desmond Callaghan]] of the [[Pakistan Air Force]], both of whom signed the agreement alongside Niazi.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dawn.com/news/718001/a-leaf-from-history-the-fall-and-surrender | title=A leaf from history: The fall and surrender | date=13 May 2012 }}</ref> [[Sagat Singh]], Commander of the [[IV Corps (India)|Indian IV Corps]]; [[Hari Chand Dewan]], Commander of the [[Eastern Air Command (India)|Indian Eastern Air Command]]; and [[J. F. R. Jacob]], Chief of Staff of the [[Eastern Command (India)|Indian Eastern Command]];<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/victory-day/witnessing-surrender-pakistan-172432 | title=Witnessing the surrender of Pakistan | date=16 December 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/victory-day/how-lt-general-jfr-jacob-secured-pakistans-surrender-1971-172402 | title=How Lt General JFR Jacob secured Pakistan's surrender in 1971 | date=16 December 2020 }}</ref> all acted as witnesses on behalf of [[India]].

Niazi accepted the surrender while the crowd on the race course promptly erupted in celebrations.<ref name="Nayar1998"/>

==Text of the instrument==
[[File:Pakistani Instrument of Surrender 1971.jpg|alt=The Instrument of Surrender|thumb|Scanned copy of the 1971 Pakistani Instrument of Surrender, [[Ministry of Liberation War Affairs (Bangladesh)|Bangladesh Ministry of Liberation War Affairs]]]]
The document is now public property under the governments of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, and can be seen on display at the [[National Museum, New Delhi|National Museum]] in the Indian capital of [[New Delhi]]. The text of the Instrument of Surrender is as follows:<ref name="Virtual"/><ref name="SoP"/>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 88%;"
| colspan="2" | INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER
The PAKISTAN Eastern Command agree to surrender all PAKISTAN Armed Forces in BANGLA DESH to Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA, General Officer Commanding in Chief of the Indian and BANGLA DESH forces in the Eastern Theatre. This surrender includes all PAKISTAN land, air and naval forces as also all para-military forces and civil armed forces. These forces will lay down their arms and surrender at the places where they are currently located to the nearest regular troops under the command of Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA.

The PAKISTAN Eastern Command shall come under the orders of Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA as soon as this instrument has been signed. Disobedience of orders will be regarded as a breach of the surrender terms and will be dealt with in accordance with the accepted laws and usages of war. The decision of Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA will be final, should any doubt arise as to the meaning or interpretation of the surrender terms.

Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA gives a solemn assurance that personnel who surrender shall be treated with dignity and respect that soldiers are entitled to in accordance with the provisions of the GENEVA Convention and guarantees the safety and well-being of all PAKISTAN military and para-military forces who surrender. Protection will be provided to foreign nationals, ethnic minorities and personnel of WEST PAKISTAN origin by the forces under the command of Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA.
|-
| align="center" | <signed> || align="center" | <signed>
|-
| align="center" | <poem>(JAGJIT SINGH AURORA)
Lieutenant-General
General Officer Commanding in Chief
Indian and BANGLA DESH Forces in the
Eastern Theatre
16 December 1971</poem>
| align="center" | <poem>(AMIR ABDULLAH KHAN NIAZI)
Lieutenant-General
Martial Law Administrator Zone B and
Commander Eastern Command (PAKISTAN)
16 December 1971</poem>
|}
{{Clear}}

==Sources==
* [http://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/5312/Instrument+of+Surrender+of+Pakistan+forces+in+Dacca  "Instrument of Surrender of Pakistani forces in Dacca", Hosted by Ministry of External Affairs, India]
* [http://storyofpakistan.com/the-separation-of-east-pakistan/ "The Separation of East Pakistan"]

==References==
<references>
<ref name="Levie1974">{{cite journal |author=Howard S. Levie |date=January 1974 |title=The Indo-Pakistani Agreement of August 28, 1973 |journal=American Journal of International Law |publisher=American Society of International Law |volume=68 |issue=1 |pages=95–97 |doi=10.2307/2198806 |jstor=2198806|s2cid=246007433 }}</ref>
<ref name="Nayar1998">{{cite news |author=Kuldip Nayar |date=1998-02-03 |title=Of betrayal and bungling |newspaper=[[Indian Express]] |url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19980203/03450744.html |access-date=2014-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517162600/http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19980203/03450744.html |archive-date=2014-05-17}}</ref>
<ref name="SoP">{{cite web |title=The Separation of East Pakistan |url=http://storyofpakistan.com/the-separation-of-east-pakistan/ |publisher=Story of Pakistan |access-date=2020-07-28 |date=2003-06-01 |archive-date=2 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002090348/http://storyofpakistan.com/the-separation-of-east-pakistan |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="Virtual">{{cite web |url=http://www.virtualbangladesh.com/the-basics/history-of-bangladesh/independence/the-instrument-of-surrender/ |title=The Instrument of Surrender |website=Virtual Bangladesh |date=2015 |access-date=9 December 2016 |archive-date=17 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317113356/http://www.virtualbangladesh.com/the-basics/history-of-bangladesh/independence/the-instrument-of-surrender/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
</references>

== External links == 
* {{Wikisource-inline|Pakistani Instrument of Surrender|single=true}}
* {{commons-inline}}

{{Bangladesh liberation}}
{{1971 Indo-Pakistan War}}

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