Yahya Khan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
General
Yahya Khan
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| یحییٰ خان | |
Official military portrait as a full general
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| 3rd President of Pakistan Chief Martial Law Administrator |
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| In office 25 March 1969 – 20 December 1971 |
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| Prime Minister | Nurul Amin (1971) |
| Preceded by | Ayub Khan |
| Succeeded by | Zulfikar Ali Bhutto |
| 5th Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army | |
| In office 18 September 1966 – 20 December 1971 |
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| President | Ayub Khan Himself |
| Prime Minister | Nurul Amin (1971) |
| Preceded by | Muhammad Musa |
| Succeeded by | Gul Hassan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan
4 February 1917 Chakwal, Punjab, British India (Now, Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Died | 10 August 1980 (aged 63) Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Resting place | Peshawar, Pakistan |
| Nationality | British Indian (1917–1947) Pakistani (1947–1980) |
| Political party | None (martial law) |
| Domestic partners | Aqleem Akhtar (1967–1972) Noor Jehan (1971) |
| Education | Colonel Brown Cambridge School, Dehradun |
| Alma mater |
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| Military service | |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service | 1938–1971 |
| Rank |  General |
| Unit | 4th Battalion/10th Baluch Regiment Now 11th Baloch Regiment (S/No. PA–98) |
| Commands | |
| Battles/wars | World War II
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| Awards |  Hilal-e-Jurat(Withdrawn) .png){kind=small} Hilal-e-Pakistan(Withdrawn) _(1957-86).png){kind=small} Sitara-e-Pakistan(Withdrawn) .gif){kind=small} Order of Pahlavi |
General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan (born February 4, 1917 – died August 10, 1980), known as Yahya Khan, was a Pakistani military leader. He became the third President of Pakistan and the Chief Martial Law Administrator. He took over from Ayub Khan on March 25, 1969, and stayed in power until December 20, 1971. During his time as leader, a major conflict happened in East Pakistan, which led to the creation of Bangladesh.
Contents
Who Was Yahya Khan?
Yahya Khan was a powerful figure in Pakistan's history. He was a general in the army before becoming president. His time as president was short but very important. It saw major changes in the country, including a war that split Pakistan into two parts.
Early Life and Education
Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan was born in Chakwal, British Indian Empire, on February 4, 1917. His family had roots in the Pashtun people.
Yahya's father worked in the police force in Punjab. Yahya went to the famous Colonel Brown Cambridge School in Dehradun. Later, he studied at the University of the Punjab in Lahore. He earned a B.A. degree from there.
Joining the Army
World War II Service
Yahya Khan joined the British Indian Army in 1939. He was trained at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. As an infantry officer, he fought in World War II. He served in North Africa and the Mediterranean. He was even captured by enemy forces in 1942 but managed to escape.
After Pakistan's Creation
When Pakistan became an independent country in 1947, Yahya Khan joined the new Pakistan Army. He was already a Major at that time. He helped make sure important military books stayed in Pakistan. He also helped rename the 'Army Staff College' to 'Command and Staff College'.
At just 34 years old, he became a Brigadier. This made him one of the youngest officers to reach that rank in Pakistan's history. He led a special military unit in the Jammu and Kashmir region.
Yahya Khan also helped modernize the Pakistan Army. He worked on planning how to make the army stronger from 1954 to 1957. He also led two infantry divisions between 1962 and 1965. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, he commanded the 7th Infantry Division.
Becoming Army Chief
After the 1965 war, Yahya Khan was promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army. This happened in September 1966. He became a full general and started making big changes to the army.
He realized that the army needed better organization. New corps headquarters were created to improve how the army divisions worked together. Pakistan also started getting military equipment from China, like the T-59 tanks. This was because the United States had stopped military aid to both India and Pakistan.
Becoming President
Leading Pakistan
In the late 1960s, there was a lot of public unhappiness with President Ayub Khan. Protests grew, especially in East Pakistan. After talks with opposition leaders failed, Ayub Khan decided to step down.
On March 25, 1969, Ayub Khan handed over power to General Yahya Khan. Yahya Khan immediately declared martial law. This meant the military took control of the government. He suspended the constitution and dissolved the parliament. Yahya Khan promised to bring order back to the country.
His government included other military leaders. They worked to solve the country's problems. One big issue was the tension between West Pakistan and East Pakistan.
- He ended the "One Unit" system, which had combined the provinces of West Pakistan. This brought back the older provinces.
- He promised free and fair elections where every adult could vote. This was a big step towards democracy.
The 1970 Elections
Yahya Khan set up the country's first nationwide elections for December 1970. These elections showed a clear division in the country. In East Pakistan, the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won almost all the seats. In West Pakistan, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won most of the seats.
The results showed that people in East and West Pakistan had very different political views. Talks between the Awami League and the PPP did not lead to an agreement. This made the political situation even more difficult.
The East Pakistan Conflict
After the elections, there was a political disagreement about who should lead the country. The Awami League wanted to form the government, but the transfer of power was delayed. This led to a serious crisis in East Pakistan.
On March 25, 1971, Yahya Khan ordered a military operation called Operation Searchlight. This was an effort to control the growing unrest in East Pakistan. The situation became very violent. Many people in East Pakistan, including Bengali members of the army and police, started fighting back. They formed a group called the Mukti Bahini. This led to a civil war.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested by Yahya Khan's government. The conflict continued to grow, and India became involved, supporting the people of East Pakistan.
The War of 1971
In December 1971, the conflict turned into a full-scale war between Pakistan and India, known as the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The Pakistani army in East Pakistan eventually surrendered. As a result, East Pakistan became an independent country called Bangladesh.
This war had a huge impact on Pakistan. It led to the country being divided into two separate nations.
End of His Presidency
After the surrender and the creation of Bangladesh, there was a lot of public anger in Pakistan. Yahya Khan resigned from his military and presidential roles on December 20, 1971. He handed over power to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Soon after, President Bhutto ordered Yahya Khan to be placed under house arrest. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who had been imprisoned by Yahya Khan, was released and sent to London.
Later Life and Death
Yahya Khan remained under house arrest until 1979. He was then released by General Fazle Haq. He stayed out of public life. Yahya Khan passed away on August 10, 1980, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He was buried in Peshawar.
His Legacy
Yahya Khan's time as leader is often seen negatively by historians in Pakistan. Many believe his decisions led to the breakup of Pakistan. He received several military awards during his career, but some were later withdrawn by Pakistan.
Images for kids
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Lt. Col. Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan with the Shah of Iran and Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in March 1950.
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General Yahya Khan visiting East Pakistan after the 1970 Bhola cyclone in November 1970.
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President Yahya Khan meeting with United States President Richard Nixon in October 1970.
See also
In Spanish: Yahya Khan para niños
