‘Surrender or we wipe you out’: When Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw told Pakistan to accept defeat

Sharing the victorious message by India’s Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, the Indian Army on Tuesday remembered how it made more than 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrender during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

“You surrender or We wipe you out was the message given by Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw to Pakistan on 13th December 1971. The Field Marshal lived his words as the world will see unprecedented surrender of more than 93000 Pakistani soldiers,” the official account of the army tweeted with hashtags ‘Indian Army’ and ‘Always Victorious’.

Notably, India celebrates ‘Vijay Diwas’ on December 16 every year to commemorate the resounding victory over Pakistan in 1971, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. The war, which took place 45 years ago, is also known as the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. It lasted 13 days from December 4 to 16.

On December 13, 1971, the Pakistan Army was crushed due to India’s sustained ground and airstrikes in the western and eastern front of then East Pakistan. 

The “Instrument of Surrender” of Pakistani forces stationed in East Pakistan was signed in Dhaka on December 16, 1971, by Lt Gen Niazi of Pakistan and Lt Gen Aurora of India.