As Bangladesh turns 50, and LUMS cancels a conference remembering 1971 entitled “War, Violence and Memory” it seems the Pakistan establishment still cannot tolerate a critical examination of their role in the atrocities committed in Bangladesh. 1/5
In March 1971, my mother, Hamida Khuhro, then a Fellow at St. Antony’s College, was one of the only West Pakistanis unafraid to speak out when news of the army’s attacks began to filter through. 2/5
In a letter to The Times in London, published on April 1, 1971, she implicated the army and the bureaucrats, and delineated ZA Bhutto’s role in the tragedy: 3/5 
In a situation where public comments from Pakistan about the events were severely curtailed, her letter was one of the only reactions available to the international press— it was also broadcast on the BBC Urdu Service, & was how many Pakistanis first heard what was happening. 4/5
I’m posting this not just to remember my mother’s courage 50 years ago, but also because in light of the LUMS decision it seems doubly important to remember 1971 in Pakistan, especially while it is still a living memory, and that silence only favors the powerful.5/5 #Bangladesh50
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
