He said every country has a right to deal with the criminals. I shall deal with these criminals, he added.
NA seats
Asked if the members of the defunct Awami League continue to be the members of the National Assembly the president explained the elections in Pakistan were held on individual basis.
He said Indo not think why should these members of the defunct AL lose their seats except, of course, those who became disqualified due to the commission of crime.
The president added that those who became disqualified due to the commission of crime
would lose their seats and by-
But the president made it clear that this was his present thinking. He had not yet consulted his legal experts on the matter yet, the president added.
The present said that elections were so peaceful that every Pakistani should be proud of it. I will not let the elections be lost, he added.
Answering a question as to when and where Sheikh Mujib, would be tried the president said Pakistan Government will deal with him as it deems fit.
President Yahya said that in two to three weeks he would come out with a policy statement. He was asked if he would make any amendments in the legal framework order.
Answering a question on the completion of Farakka Barrage by India president said India had completed the Farakka Barrage unilaterally. We will deal with that problem after we have dealt with our present problem.
Six-
The president replied the six points of defunct AL in its entirety were against the concept of Pakistan. The president added that Mujib had said they were flexible. We believed him.
The president said that he had nothing against the name of Bangla Desh as a province but I never realised that it meant Bangla Desh outside Pakistan.
Asked what measures he proposed to take to build the economy of East Pakistan the president said that for 24 days Mujib ran a parallel government, what do you expect of the economy?
He said our first thing is the movement of foodgrains prevention of disease, to get the normal life going and mobilising monetary resources for housing.
The president replied in the negative when a correspondent asked if all the members of the outlawed AL were traitors.
He said that there was a certain section of the party. There was an inner circle and those who were out in the field.
But there were people who got election on the slogan of autonomy, end of exploitation, why should they be punished? he asked.
The president said that a vast majority of East Pakistanis were good people. They will help us in pointing out those who committed crime, he added.
Replying to another question, the president said that the general economy of the country as a whole was bad. The happenings in East Pakistan, he added, had contributed to the worsening of the economy.
He said that political stability and sharing of power will help building the economy of the country.
Asked if he thought that the people of East Pakistan were really exploited during the last 23 years, the president said to a certain extent, yes. But he added that it was nobody's fault. It has historic reasons behind it.
The president said before partition East Pakistan was a hinterland for undivided Bengal and the Muslim majority of eastern part were workers, labourers and peasants. For hundreds of years the Bengali Muslims had a raw deal. The movement of Pakistan started in East Pakistan because the people there were exploited. In East Pakistan there was not base for anything.
It was an accident of history that Bengalis were downtrodden. But he said as a soldier who served in East Pakistan, I know, what tremendous strides had been taken in East Pakistan since partition. They started to work with West Pakistan—West Pakistan moved and they moved faster because they were better trained.
To another question president Yahya said that he had offered to Mujib the Prime Ministership on a platter. But he was not interested.
The president said Mujib talked about two assemblies, two constitutions and handing over of power. He asked me to hand over power to him in East Pakistan so that he could legalise the separation of the Eastern Wing. When he did not succeed in that he wanted to do it by violence which I stopped.
Replying to another question as, when he decided to take military action to end violence in East Pakistan, president Yahya Khan said, during my meetings with Mujib and members of his inner cabinet was hoping against hope.
When I told the leaders of various parliamentary groups from West Pakistan the plans of things Mujib wanted, they did not agree with it. I sent them to Mujib to convince him and within two hours they came running to me that Mujib was agreeable.
The president said that his decision was built up slowly. My charter was not to destroy Pakistan. I decided to save Pakistan.
Asked about the recent visit of Mr. M.M. Ahmed to Washington and London, president said, it was very helpful, understanding and encouraging.
He said a World Bank Team will visit Pakistan in the first week of June. I shall make sure that they visit East Pakistan to assess the situation.
He said president Nixon and world leaders were all sympathetic.
Replying to a reporter's question he said he had received the reply to his letter
from president Nixon. It is a warm-
Islamabad, May 24 (APP): Rejecting New Delhi's allegation of deliberate expulsion of people from East Pakistan through a campaign of terror, Pakistan has asked the Indian Government to accept the blame for whatever refugees there might be in India.
These people became the victims of the conditions created by India's armed infiltration into East Pakistan as well as the false and distorted Indian propaganda and highly exaggerated accounts of incidents put out by the AIR and the Indian press, a note sent to the Indian High Commission here said.
The note was in reply to Indian Government note of May 14 in which under the guise of expressing concern for the refugees the Government of India has attempted to arrogate to itself the right to sit in judgement over the developments in East Pakistan and to dictate to Pakistan certain course of action in regard to matters which are exclusively this countrys own affairs.
Rejecting the Indian note Pakistan invited Inida's attention to her obligation under the UN Charter and the principles of International law which enjoin member states to desist from meddling into the affairs of other states.
The note said, it appears to the Government of Pakistan that the refugee problem has been deliberately allowed to take certain dimensions by the Govt. of India with some ulterior motive. This apprehension is further confirmed by the fact that instead of treating the question of refugees on a humanitarian basis a callous campaign has been launched by India for political purposes.
While Pakistan has welcomed the return of its bonafide and law abiding citizens to their respective homes, India has been persistently refusing to take back over half a million Indian nationals evicted by her from Assam, Tripura and West Bengal to East Pakistan, the note added.
The Indian assistance to anti-
The captured officer made the admission and gave out details of collusion between
AL and India, in his broadcast over Radio Pakistan, Dacca at 5-
Following is the full English translation of his broadcast in Bengali:
"I am second lieutenant Nasiruddin, a Pakistani ex-
On 25th April seven days before the arrival of Pak Army at Barisal, Major Jalil excaped to Hasnabad in India on board a launch. In the evening of 25th April we sailed for India by a launch and reached Hasnabad on 30th April. Major Jalil by this time arranged 303 point rifles, 2. M.G. S. and mines and other arms and ammunition. We took training at the camp no. 72 of B.S.F. at Hasnabad about their arms and ammunition. We went to Barrackpore and collected some more arms from there. We left our families at Hasnabad. The Indian authorities forced us to keep our family there so that we can freely fight and can take instructions from there, if needed.
The Indian officers assured us of financial as well as arms aid. They sent with us even a sick police constable so that he could join in the fighting. On the 6th May, with others I sailed for Barisal on board two launches. A B S.F. boat accompanied us for a certain distance.
He said that the recent happenings in East Pakistan was not a natural calamity like the one East Pakistan faced last year.
This was a man-
This has disrupted our political life, he observed.
Yahya thanked the Almighty that the armed forces of Pakistan had discharged their duties to the country in an effective manner by bringing peace to the province quickly.
The president declared that East Pakistan had sufficient foodgrains for the next three months. He added that the movement of food which was hampered because of the disrupted communication was not beyond human effort.
He expressed his satisfaction that Pakistan's Armed Forces were trying to restore the communication network in East Pakistan in an effective manner.
Flight of refugees
Referring to the flight of refugees across India the president said I am very sorry that many of our people in East Pakistan have fled across either because they were enticed away or driven away.
He said this refugee problem has been in the forefront in world press.
The president made it clear that those refugees who belong to Pakistan are welcome to return to their homes. I will make sure that they come back to Pakistan.
In an obvious reference to India president Yahya said the forces around us had been interfering in our internal matters.
They have interfered. If they had not interfered things would have been better, he added.
The president recalled his statement he gave on Friday last urging the bonafide citizens of East Pakistan to return to their homes after the return of normalcy and peaceful conditions in the Eastern Wing.
He reiterated a genuine Pakistani who left Pakistan under duress, threat or fright will be taken back.
Amnesty offer
Asked what will be the mechanics for the refugees to return to their homes the president said they will be checked and allowed in. But, the president said, millions of shelterless people of West Bengal will not be permitted to come to East Pakistan. I am not willing to open the gates for Indian destitudes.
President Yahya said that he was prepared to grant amensty to those who were misled
in East Pakistan by the anti-
Karachi, May 24 (APP): Yahya Khan, said there today that in doubt two to three weeks he hoped to announce his plan for the peaceful transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people.
He told a press conference at the president's house here this evening that he had not lost his main aim—transfer of power to the people's representatives.
The president said the recent secessionist movement in East Pakistan was a big jolt to his plan for the transfer of power. But, he added, this jolt was temporary.
President Yahya Khan said that he had struggled for the past two years to hold elections in the country. I shall not let these elections be lost, the president declared.
As soon as normalcy returns I shall move again to fulfil my aim, president said. He, however, emphasised, I do not want to transfer power to chaos.
Asked if there would be any change in the manner of transfer of power he replied I wish you were a soldier.
The president said that in military parlance the maintenance of aim was the principle of war.
My aim also remains the same for transfer of power.
The president said that for the past two years he had been saying that his main aim was to transfer power to the people's representatives but nobody believes me. But I shall hope I will do it.
He said even some of my countrymen do not like it. But I will do it. I do not agree with them. I believe that power should be handed over to the elected representatives of the people.
During his 70 minute press conference the president dealt mostly with the unfortunate situation in East Pakistan recently.
Great upheaval
What happened in East Pakistan recently was a great political upheaval, president said and added it came as a personal shock to me.
He said my scheme of things which I had prepared for the nation got a mighty jolt. This big jolt that we received is a matter of profound regret to me and my Government, he added.
The president said that this great political upheaval had caused unnecessary hardship in the normal life of the Eastern Wing of Pakistan.
Therefore, before I indulge in my future plan my main concerns are the innocent people of my land in East Pakistan.
I do believe, the president said, that these people are innocent. Therefore, I express my thanks to the world community for all the assistance they have offered to restore normal life in East Pakistan.
The president said I gratefully accept this offer. I welcome world assistance.
The Daily
Morning News
Some Important Entries
25 MAY 1971
News headlines and details from the Daily Morning News.
News Headlines:
- Yahya to announce peaceful power transfer plan in two/three weeks: secessionist move temporary jolt: polls not to be lost.
- Pakistan rejects Indian note : Delhi must accept blame for refugee problem.
- Captured deserter gives out story of AL Indian collusion.
Other Headlines:
- Students urged to remain vigilant against enemy.
- UNICEF assistance for Pakistan.
- Peace committee activities gain momentum in Ctg.
On the night between 6th and 7th, we were ambushed by Pak Army and Navy from Khulna in a channel in Ashashuni. When Pakistan forces started firing we jumped from the launch and started fleeing. I thought that since all are A Leaguers, people would help us. But the people did not like AL. So they handed us over to Pakistan Army.
Military authorities of Khulna behaved well with us. I myself am repentant now. I call upon other members to surrender immediately without loss of time and life.
Profile of Bengal