Bhutto misled me in 1965 War: Ayub Khan

May 02: Former Field Marshal Ayub Khan and Pakistan's long-time president, who ruled for much of the 1960s, has blamed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and generals serving him for 'misleading' him into launching a military conflict with India in 1965.

In his diaries 'Friends Not Masters', which will be published this week, Ayub has said that he had been told that there was a rebellion in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan can capture the disputed territory with the help of 'infiltrators'. Revealing details about the diaries, Pakistani media revealed that former president had written 'Friends Not Masters' while in office.

While explaining the removal of his friend-turned-foe Bhutto, who at that time served as Pakistan�??s foreign minister, Pakistan's second president, who passed away in 1974, explains that Bhutto had begun to 'behave like Krishna Menon', India's leading diplomat-politician of that time. Ayub writes �??he had given a notice to him at his Sindh home while stating that he had to remove him as during last year or so, something perceptible went wrong with him.�??

At that time Ayub faced strong back lash at home and at abroad for having removed Bhutto because of the latter's anti-US and pro-China stance. There were also allegations against him that the American aid to Pakistan was linked to his removal. Former Pakistani president refutes the allegation by writing, �??Actually, Bhutto had begun to 'behave and speak irresponsibly' and was conducting 'his own foreign policy' with the help of a small group of trusted people in the foreign office.

�??He started drinking himself into a stupor and led a very loose life. It is a pity that a man of considerable talent went astray. I offered him a foreign assignment, but he was not interested�?�, Ayub has written.

Details of the editors and publisher are yet to be disclosed. Pakistan�??s media have launched a hunt to unravel the �??truth�?� behind one of the highly controversial acts of Gen Ayub.

Bhutto joined Pakistan's first president, Iskandar Mirza's, cabinet as commerce minister in 1958. After Ayub Khan took over in a bloodless military coup, Bhutto joined the cabinet as its youngest member and was the commerce minister. In 1963, he took over as foreign minister, succeeding Muhammad Ali Bogra.

In March 1969, when the anti-Ayub movement had gathered momentum, Ayub stepped down in favour of Yahya Khan.

Allegation against present president and his counter allegations against some leading civilian politicians seem to be like a revisit to the much troubled history in the country.