India's halt to air strikes against the city was to run out at 9-30 a.m. local time (10–30 p.m. Wednesday EST), and shortly before 9 a.m.. United Nations and Red Cross officials learned that the Pakistani command had lost its communications and could not send its message of acceptance to New Delhi.
Lost communications
During a hurried meeting at the Pakistani military headquarters, Maj Gen. Farman Ali Khan, who has been acting for Gen. Niazi in the attempts to negotiate a cease-fire, informed U.N. officials of the command's unconditional acceptance. The message was then sent to Delhi through U.N radio facilities at 9-20 a.m. 10 minutes before the bombing was to resume.
The formal surrender took place at 5 p.m., local time (6 a.m. EST) on the race track in-field, with firing and shouting from surrounding areas...
Each bus-load of Indian soldiers is mobbed with cries of thanks, and Bangladesh flags are being pulled out from the hiding places where they have been kept since last March 25, when the Pakistani army began its brutal campaign to keep control here.
