The talk of US intervention in Pakistan is a hot topic in the country in the recent past. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its leader claim that the United States not only intervened but also conspired to overthrow their government.
On the other hand, the current government and key institutions believe that the Americans intervened unnecessarily but did not conspire to overthrow the former government. In their opinion, the US diplomat’s displeasure with the Imran Khan government is a kind of intervention, but they did not conspire in practice to change the government.
Obviously, the PTI does not agree with this view. In their view, intervention is not possible without conspiracy. These discussions will continue and will certainly be fruitless. History will decide which side is right, but the decision of history may not come soon.
American declassified papers
There is a tradition in the United States that after thirty years, classified documents are made public. There are still some things that are kept secret that is more sensitive or dangerous than the American point of view, but the important thing is that researchers and researchers from all over the world can find out many important things from these unclassified documents.
American thinking, the mindset and procedures of American embassies are well understood. Also how they meet, gather news and then send secret telegrams or letters. Here we will share the story of some of these declassified documents with our readers.
Secret Telegrams of US Embassy in Pakistan
These are the secret telegrams of the US Embassy and Consulate in Pakistan which are mostly from the fifties and sixties, some telegrams are also related to the time of Bhutto.
These telegrams show how US diplomats used to keep in touch with Pakistani politicians and important powerful personalities. They used to tell many important things on their own.
Interestingly, they include Commander-in-Chief Ayub Khan (many years before martial law was imposed), Sikandar Mirza, President Khan and later Bhutto, who had a reputation for being anti-American.
I was surprised to meet the eminent leftist Baloch nationalist politician Mir Ghous Bakhsh Bizenjo with the US Ambassador. It was also learned that Bhutto sent Ghulam Mustafa Khar to the United States on a special agenda during his tenure. Some of these documents relate to the US Embassy in India and are not without interest.
Meetings of US diplomats
These US declassified documents show that US diplomats kept in touch with key Pakistani figures on a regular basis, including meetings with opposition leaders. In fact, the main mission of these diplomats was to keep abreast of the political situation in Pakistan, to send the latest information to their country and assess it before any major event took place and then assist in formulating appropriate strategy accordingly.
Well-known author, writer and politician Qayyum Nizami has translated some of these unclassified documents in his book “Secret Papers”.
Rakim has used the book for his blog series, while the original American sources of declassified documents and the real source of these secret CIA papers have also used the “reading room”.
Types of Secret Papers
There are several types of declassified papers, the most important of which are top secret letters from the US Embassy in Pakistan to the US State Department in which US diplomats share their insider information and exclusive news with top officials in Washington. I also sent them my analysis. Some diplomatic letters or ciphers were also for the US Secretary of State or Presidents.
There is also a category of secret letters from the US President, especially when Pakistan was trying to establish diplomatic relations between the US and China, then-President Nixon’s letters to Pakistani President Yahya Khan are important.
Ayub Khan’s intentions were bad from the beginning
We have the general impression that in the fifties, politicians made so many maneuvers, new political parties formed overnight, maneuvering, one prime minister after another was overthrown, so much so that the army chief General Ayub Khan was forced to resort to martial law. U.S. intelligence documents dispel this impression.
It clearly shows that General Ayub Khan’s intentions were bad from the beginning, five years ago he kept talking to the Americans about imposing martial law.
A secret telegram sent to Washington by the US Consulate on December 23, 1952, states that General Ayub Khan had told him that he had told Pakistan’s leading politicians that he had decided mentally to walk with the West. According to General Ayub, we (the military establishment) will not allow politicians to get out of our grip and will also keep the Pakistani people under control. Ayub said he felt he was taking on a greater responsibility because the army had a duty to protect the country.
Similarly, in the two top-secret telegrams of February 1953, the US ambassador told the Washington people that according to General Ayub Khan, there was no threat to the present government from politicians and the people. If an attempt is made to overthrow the government, the army will immediately impose martial law and take power into its own hands. The Establishment will not allow politicians or the people to destroy Pakistan.
In another meeting on February 53, General Ayub Khan told the US diplomat that the Establishment was not interested in interfering in politics but did not want matters to get out of its hands. They will not accept the folly of politicians.
The US ambassador wrote in his remarks: “After talking to General Ayub and other senior officials in Lahore, I felt that the Establishment was definitely ready to take control in case the civil administration failed. “
Find out two things from these telegrams. One is that General Ayub, who imposed martial law in the country five years later, was mentally prepared from 1952-53. Secondly, after Ayub Khan became the chief, he started giving orders to politicians even though it was his job and not his authority.
Even in 1958, Ayub Khan unjustifiably imposed martial law. The details are also sensational, which we find reflected in the secret letters of American diplomats.
(Continued)…
