ISLAMABAD - Pakistan was broken into two due to martial law government. Continues military interventions in political affairs of the country and absence of democratic government are the biggest challenges the country is even facing today.

Roedad Khan, a Pakistani politician and former civil servant, Secretary Ministry of Information, in 1971, and witness of the fall of Dhaka, today believes three people were responsible for the partition.

Pakistan was broken by Yahya Khan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Mujeebur Rehman, Khan said recalling past memories while sitting his sitting room on morning of mid December.

He said after sweeping victory in elections, Mujeeb and ZA Bhutto were not interested in united Pakistan. Bhutto was not prepared to play role of opposition, after elections his views were changed, and army also was not interested in United Pakistan as they had to relocate General Headquarters to Dhaka, he said, adding, Bhutto was not interested in playing role of opposition.

At the age of 93, Roedad Khan is quiet fit. He speaks with authority and authenticity in warm and welcoming gestures.

While talking, his long jaws become more prominent and his Greek nose becomes the more prominent feature on his face. After elections, Mujeeb suddenly became uninterested in united Pakistan, he said. Khan insisted that elections were transparent free and fair.

“Being Managing Director of Radio, I covered the whole elections and collected the results through telephones, it was a transparent, free and fair election,” he said. Despite holding ZA Bhutto responsible for the partition, Khan is fan of his charismatic personality.

He had a charisma, a power to attract people and no doubt he was very intelligent. More wiser then any of political leader after him, he said. He clarified that during that time politicians were mostly honest and there was no question of corruption.

He said ordinary people of East Pakistan were not interested in breaking Pakistan but it was the intellectuals who were poisoned by the Indian government. The ordinary residents were hardworking people with good religious and moral values, it was the intellectuals who ignited them, he said.

He said the intellectuals convinced ordinary people that East Pakistan was treating them as a colony, and they will never allow having an East Pakistani Prime Minister or top representation in military.

“We have learnt no lesson from the Fall of Dhaka, I believe Pakistan was divided due to the then martial law government. Had there been a politically elected government, Pakistan would never have divided,” Khan said. He added continuous military interventions in the affairs of state adversely affected the country.

He pointed out corruption and other weaknesses of the political leaders who facilitated the military to intervene and take over. The only way to save Pakistan is a democratically elected government, Khan concluded.