September 2, 1971

AN UNPRECEDENTED STEP

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Evidently panic-stricken at the large-scale defection of Bangalee members of its mission staff, the Pakistan government today took an unprecedented step to seize passports of all its diplomatic staff abroad.

The government called upon its diplomats and other employees in the missions and their families to surrender their passports to heads of respective missions by September 7, 1971.

In a vain effort to make the measure appear non-discriminatory, the Pakistan high commission in London said, “This measure is applied to all Pakistani employees in all embassies, high commissions and missions everywhere. It doesn’t discriminate against any person from any particular province of Pakistan.”

‘ACCEPTANCE OF DEFEAT’

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khandaker Moshtaque Ahmed, in a press release issued today, termed the appointment of Dr Malik as the governor of the occupied territory of Bangladesh as an acceptance of defeat by the so-called military junta of Islamabad.

“It is evident that Tikka Khan’s awful rule of ruthless killing, looting, burning and raping have been turned into ignominious nullity on the soil of Bangladesh. The killer has fallen. His chivalrous glory is crumbled into pieces. He is to get out as a disgraced man with head low and vanity lower. There is a clear message in this for General Yahya Khan also,” added Moshtaque.

He further said, “The appointment of Mr Malik is yet another attempt to throw a handful of dust in the eyes of the world to create confusion. People of Bangladesh know the designs behind this sort of restoration of civil administration. They witnessed this same ‘restoration’ once after Ayub [Khan] staged a coup in 1958, again after Yahya ascended the throne of Pakistan in 1969. When colonial rule by a military governor becomes pungent and embarrassing, the military rulers go for transplanting a civilian quisling as the Subedar of Bangladesh. This time also the military colonialists have exercised their ground rule of colonial administration. This known game is not going to pay any dividend this time in an attempt to convince foreign powers to give aid and assistance.”

NURUL AMIN REFUSES TO LEAD PAKISTAN TEAM TO UN

Former East Pakistan chief minister Nurul Amin declined to lead Pakistan’s delegation to the forthcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly. Nurul Amin, leader of the Pakistan Democratic Party, was the lone non-Awami League member to win the election to the National Assembly in December, 1970. He turned down the request of President Yahya Khan’s regime to lead the delegation due to “health reasons”.

IPU TO DISCUSS BANGLADESH ISSUE

The Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) unanimously decided to enter the question of “international cooperation in favour of the East Pakistani people and refugees” on the agenda of the 59th IPU session which was formally opened today at Versailles by French President Georges Pompidou.

PAKISTAN LIFTS PRESS CENSORSHIP

The Pakistan government lifted press censorship throughout Pakistan, an official spokesman announced today.

Shamsuddoza Sajen is a journalist and researcher. He can be contacted at sajen1986@gmail.com



Pakistan asks diplomats to surrender passports
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