Disparities led to '71 war
Eminent Swedish journalist and South Asia analyst, Ingvar Oja, has said he foresaw Pakistan's break-up long ago, witnessing the severe disparity between its two wings.
The fight for independence was for a just cause, said Ingvar who witnessed the Pakistan's surrender in 1971.
''Long before, I visited East Pakistan for the first time and I had written many articles describing the uneven distribution of resources between the two halves of Pakistan, anticipating the break-up.''
Ingvar covered the liberation war as a war correspondent of Sweden's highest circulated daily, Dagens Nyheter.
''I think the cyclone and the failures of the Pakistani government in its relief operation made the demands for independence even more justified.''
''I arrived in Dhaka on December 16 on a (Indian army) helicopter from Agartala to witness the surrender ceremony when the Pakistani troops formally put down their weapons.''
Ingvar's factual reports during the war helped create sympathy and mobilise particularly the Scandinavian peoples' support for Bangalees' cause.
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