The Untold Story: Was General Zia-ul-Haq Behind the Slaughter of 25,000 Palestinians?
Zia-ul-Haq — Hero or Butcher? The New Social Media War Over History and Narratives Amid Social Media Debates and Private Discussions, Why is Zia-ul-Haq Suddenly Portrayed as the ‘Killer of Palestinians’? Is This the Start of a New Historical Narrative? By: Ahmad Saghir Independent Journalist and Political Analyst I n Pakistan’s popular discourse, a persistent narrative claims that General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, while serving as a brigadier, led a Pakistani military contingent in Jordan during the 1970 Black September conflict, resulting in the massacre of up to 25,000 Palestinians under orders from the Jordanian monarchy. This story, often amplified on social media and in political rhetoric, portrays Zia as a central figure in a large-scale atrocity. However, a closer examination of declassified documents, historical analyses, and contemporary accounts reveals a more nuanced reality: Zia did play a supportive military role, but the claims of a Pakistani-led slaughter of ...