A BIKE COST PAK PRESIDENT "HALF HIS COUNTRY"

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Sam Manekshaw and Yahya Khan shared a complex relationship shaped by the turbulent times of the 1971 war between India and Pakistan

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They served During the Second World War And were together in the British Indian Army just before the Partition in 1947

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One popular story from that time involves a red motorcycle owned by General Manekshaw

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Yahya Khan had an eye on it and wanted to own the bike before leaving for Karachi after the creation of Pakistan

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General Khan offered to buy the motorcycle for Rs 1,000 and General Manekshaw agreed to the sale

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Partition happened in August 1947, and Yahya Khan took the red motorcycle to Pakistan, but never paid the money he owed to Sam Manekshaw

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In the 1971 war, India defeated Pakistan and Bangladesh was created

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General Manekshaw, known for his sense of humour, said he waited for 24 years for Rs 1,000, "but now he has paid with half of his country"

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The aftermath of the war saw a reshaping of the geopolitical landscape, with Bangladesh emerging as an independent nation

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It took a toll on both leaders. General Manekshaw recognised the human cost of war, and Yahya Khan faced political fallout in Pakistan

Image: AFP

Image: Getty

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