This is a good theory, and who knows Fatima Jinnah could have been the greatest leaders in Pak.
However we must realize that FJ had several limitations which could have hurt her even if she had won the 1965 election.
- She didn't have a party of her own. She was inactive politically for 10+ years.
- Therefore she was utterly dependent on a bunch of quarreling and self-serving politicians who came together as the Combined Opposition Party of Pakistan (COPP). COPP was nothing more that PNA parties circa 1977.
- FJ also erred on the Sindh-Tas treaty by setting up purely political un-realistic stance.
- Even after losing the 1965 elections, she could have remained active by forming her own party and strengthening the basis of democracy but she didn't.
So we can't say one way or the other that FJ would have been 100 times better or 10 times better than other politicians.
I agree that she was not active politician at that time, but the army generals who have ruled Pakistan for 30+ years are not polticians by any mean...
Anyway, in those days, Political system was so corrupt and People of Pakistan was never involved in the politics ( they were only allowed to elect BD members only) and all the corrupt politicians had made alliance to have Ayoub in Power, as they see it easier to deal with him.
I think you are missing the part where Ayoub seized all the political activities in the country, so there were no open demonstration and/or public gathering, and if i am right, the only media was radio station and few people had access to the TV sets...
Apparently, the seize on political activism was lifted because most of politicians may had given their WILL to support Ayoub Khan ( an NRO kind of stuff i think), but again u r right, She might had some limitations, but can those be bigger than of Ayoubs? thats the question my friend...
We can play with "could have" "would have" scenarios all day long with no positive outcome whatsoever.
Country was getting divided by the Bengalis, Punjabi, and Mohajir elite LONG before the fateful year of 1971.
Haven't you heard about Agartala Sazish case?
Devious and sloganeering politicians like ZAB and Mujib who promised to setup canals flowing with milk and honey are the ones who caused the breakup.
If Mujib was that big of democrat, why did he not win any significant seat in the Western wing?
If ZAB was that big of democrat why did he threaten to break legs of anyone going to Dhaka?
Military may get blamed for many many many things. But they should not be blamed for the childish behavior of Mujib and ZAB.
Again i Agree, the both ZAB and Mujib were working on Idher hum Udher tum basis, but being supreme commander of Armed forces, being the president of Pakistan, it was duty of Ayoub and later Yehya to keep an eye on the agenda and intentions of the Politicians, ( and that was on of the intentions behind the creation of ISI, again used in the negative way)
Although ZAB is the one who brought the POWs back home, but yes there should not be POWs, ZAB, did all he can both on National and international level to loose the east wing of Pakistan.
In normal wording it can be said that the war of 1965, was fought by the Army with the support of Pakistani People, where as in the war of 1971, Army was used to accomplish the targets of the politicians, hence the objective of 1971's war ( from Pakistan side) was never to win it...
Anyone who has an iota of knowledge about parliamentary democracy must know that popular vote is not an automatic ticket to the government.
There are exceptions to the rule of majority party forming the government. If the sitting president / governor feels it fit, he can always ask a coalition of #2, #3 parties to form the government.
In that case a true democrat would sit in the opposition and let the process of parliament begin.
If the coalition fails, then the other parties are asked to form the government. And if all else fails, then re-election should be the option.
Looking back, Awami league was nothing but a bigger version of ethno-fascist regional party (like MQM, BNP, Jiey Sindh etc.) who just happened to win from a much bigger ethnicity compared to mohajirs.
Why do you forget that AL spoke from both ends. One for democracy and the other side was talking "hum hain to bengali" and "Hakoomat day do warna gooli mar day gaa).
It is purely intellectual laziness to blame Ayub for the mistakes of Mujib and Bhutto.
If that's the line of thinking, no one should be blamed and all the ills in this world would be blamed on baba adam and amman hawwa.
The only reason i or the historian of the future will blame Ayoub because he was the leader at that time, he had the resources to hold back both Mujib and ZAB, but for some reason he let the things go out of hands, he should have eliminated the threat Mujeeb had created... but for some reason he let the anti-pakistan sentiments grow.. or may be he was not informed, what ever the reason was, being the president of the country and good one, he should have been aware of bad guys..
anyway, i red an interview of Ayoub post the black year of 1971, when he said to this Indian Journalist that you may have been successfull in dividing Pakistan but this western wing is there to stay, and this alone will keep India in pain...
to support my argument, in response of your example of Prophet Adam & Hawa ( PBUT), are you familiar with the love tale of Mirza and Sahiba?
When Mirza and Sahiba ran from the brothers of Sahiba, he instead carrying out his journey to his destination, he decided to have a rest, while the brothers of Sahiba were looking for them like mad dogs, while he slept, Sahiba broke all the arrows, fearing Mirza will use them to kill her brothers... anyway, when they were approached by Sahiba's brother, Mirza found out about the arrows and later was killed by the brothers of Sahiba???
Now whom to blame??? It was Mirza's who decided to take rest yet he knew the nature of the brothers of Sahiba...