Gen Zia ul Huq told MJ Akbar [then editor of Sunday defunct weekly] in 1980 that Islamic shariat does not mention about democracy, therefore in Islamic states there cannot be any democracy. Therefore, in true spirit, more than a decade earlier in Nov Dec 1970, when Awami League under Mujibur Rahman swept polls and secured overall majority in un-divided Pakistani Parliament, the Punjabi - Sindhi dominated political and military class did not want to respect electoral verdict and transfer power, and chosen to crush East Pakistan population, who in turn revolted and proclaimed Independence as Bangladesh, resulting in historical surrender by Lt. Gen Niazi with one lakh soldiers on 16 Dec 1971 to Indian soldiers and Mukti Bahini. Democracy in real terms will ever remain mirage in Islamic countries and Pak cannot be exception.
