Ghaffar Khan offers to mediate Pindi yet to react
NEW DHLHI, MAY 22– Pakhtoon leader Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan has offered to mediate for a peaceful settlement of the conflict between East Bengal and West Pakistan, but the Pakistan military junta has failed to respond positively to the offer.
This was revealed in a recent statement issued by Badshah Khan in Kabul, a copy of which was available here today, reports UNI. Badshah Khan conveyed to Pakistan’s Consul at Jalalabad in Afghanistan that he was prepared to offer his services or mediation for a peaceful solution between Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Pakistan Government. At the outset Badshah Khan told the Consul that the East Bengalis were in a majority and the majority never wished to break up a country. “Therefore, it is not Mujib Sahib who wishes to destroy Pakistan. If Pakistan is destroyed, this will be due to the wrong policies of Bhutto(leader of the Pakistan People’s party) and Qayyum (leader of the Qayyum group of the Muslim League) he added. The Khan said that he had received with shock and distress the news of the announcement of imposition of martial law which affected the Bengalis and brought a reign of terror over them. The Bengalis, he said were true Muslim and more faithful to Pakistan than anyone else. Pakistan had been created by their efforts because at that pre- partition time a Muslim League Government existed only in Bengal. No Muslim League Government existed in Baluchistan, in the Frontier Province, in Sindh or in Punjab.
The Pakhtoon leader said that if the Pakistan Government was prepared to seek a peaceful solution, he was ready to go to Bengal. He added: “I will take with me some persons from Punjab, some from Sindh and some from Baluchistan, who will form a delegation to meet our Bengali brethren. I am confident that the Bengalis will accept this delegation.”
Asserting that the present conflict in Pakistan was not for the integration of Pakistan but for holding on to power by the capitalists and the military lords from Punjab, the Pakhtoon leader said the only fault of East Bengal leaders was that they had won the elections.
He compared the present attitude of the Pakistan military junta towards East Bengal with that of Mr. Jinnah to the erstwhile North-West Frontier State in which Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan’s party had a majority.
The Khan said that while the old Frontier Province had won the elections in a small province, Bengal had won the elections of the whole of Pakistan. If the six-point programme of the Awami League was dangerous to the integrity of Pakistan “why did not the martial law authorities impose restrictions on it from the very beginning” he asked.
He appealed to the “capitalists and authorities of Punjab” to stop the war in Bengal and to sit like brothers with the people of East Bengal and solve the problem through love and affection.
Bengalis are true Muslims
Continued from 1 Col. 3 The following is the text of the statement of Khan Adbul Ghaffar Khan:
My Dear Pakistani Sisters and Brothers.
I have not made nay statement on the happenings in Bengal till now because I had been in contact with the Government of Pakisian so that this issue should be solved through love, affection and in a peaceful manner. Though I waited for a long time, I received no reply to my appeals from the Government of Pakistan. Meanwhile, Bhutto and Quyyum were busy issuing statements and wrong propaganda in order to conceal the facts and mislead the people; It is regrettable that in spite of the martial law regulations there is no ban on their statements and wrong propaganda. These statements are even published in the newspapers and broadcast on the radio with the intention vilifying the opposition leaders. These opposition leaders are not allowed to clear their positions and to present the correct picture in the interest of the country and people. Now it becomes my duty in the name of truth and the prosperity of Pakistan to clarity the position and to assess it as I see from here.
I heard the speech of the President of Pakistan and the announcement of the imposition of a martial law which affected the Bengalis and brought a reign of terror over them. I was shocked and distressed. What was this. How had it happened. And why did it happen? The Bengalis are true Muslims. They are more faithful to Pakistan than anyone else. Pakistan was created by their efforts. Because at that perpetration time a Muslims League Government existed only in Bengal. No Muslim League Government existed only in Baluchistan, in the Frontier Province, in Sindh or in Punjab.
It was in this state of sorrow and anxiety when the Consul of Pakistan in Jalalabad called on me. I was glad that he came to see. During his conversation he said that the Bengalis are destroying Pakistan I asked him how he was intended to built up Pakistan. And whether this could be done with the help of tanks, machine-guns and bombs.
Violence is hatred and it produces hatred among the people . If there is hatred and ill-will among people, it becomes impossible for then to remain together, to until among themselves and to love together. The way adopted by the Government is not a constructive way. The Consul asked which was the way of construction.
I told him that the constructive path was the path of love and affection, of loving together like brohter in the same house who take advice and guidance from each other. I told him that the Bengali are in the majority and the majority never wish to breal up a country. Therefore, it is not Mujib Sahib who wished to destroy Pakistan. If Pakistan is destroyed this will be due to the wrong policies of Bhutto and Qayyum.
I also told him if the Government of Pakistan really wants to preserve the integrity of the country, then I am prepared to offer my services for mediation for a peaceful solution between Mujib Sahib and the Government of Pakistan. If the Government of Pakistan is prepared to seek for a peaceful solution then I am ready to go to Bengal. I would take with me some persons from Punjab some from Sindh and some Baluchistan, which would be a delegation to meet our Bengal brothers. I am confident that the Bengalis would accept this delegation. The Consul told me that be would convey this proposal to the Ambassador that he should see me if possible.
The Consul left. The Ambassador himself did not come to see me but after a few days he sent a representative. The Consul came with him and we sat and started talking. During the conversation they said that Government of Pakistan wanted me to issue a statement. I said there is no need of a statement What is the use of a statement from me? If the Government is prepared for a peaceful solution then I am prepared to go to Bengal. They asked me whether Mujib would accept my idea. I told them that this would be my effort. They asked me why I did not go to Pakistan. I told them that I would like to go to Pakistan if I understood that the Government was prepared for peace and would give me a chance for service. After this they took leave of me.
The Consul again called on after a few days and told me that he had been to Islamabad. I inquired about the situation in Islamabad. He asked me whether it would not be better if I went to Pakistan and met the President. I told him that there is martial law in Pakistan and the war lords have completely spoiled the game. The present war is not for the integration of Pakistan, but for power. The capitalists and military lords from Punjab claim power for themselves. Poor Bengal has no other faulther fault is that she won the election. The game that is being played with Bengal today has also been played with us, the Pushtuns, at the time when Pakistan was formed. We had a majority in the Assembly of the Frontier Province. Out of 50, we had 33 seats. The Muslim League had 17. Jinnah Sahib arbitrarily dissolved our Ministry and asked the minority to form the Ministry. I was on the way to Bannu when I was arrested. They accused me of going to meet the Faquir of Ipi and to deliver him Rs. five lakhs which they alleged that I was carrying with me. They also accused me that I said that Pakistan was a castle of sand which I would demolish with one kick.
They also accused me of being a traitor and an agent of the Hindus. Those were the charges framed against me. The people of Babarah who were gathering for the Friday prayers and in sympathy with the arrested people were bombed and killed with machine guns. Hundreds of children, women and men were killed. Robberies, beatings and insulting behavior were started thorough out the province. Thousands of Khudai Khidmatgars were sent to jall. They stopped our Khudai Khidmatgar Movement and banned our paper—the Pushtun which is still banned.
Even now we ask the people of the world to investigate and establish what was our fault. we had won the election of a small province. But Bengal has won the elections of the whole of Pakistan. Now she is accused of wanting to bring about the break up of Pakistan and it is said that the six point programme of the Awami League is dangerous for the integrity of Pakistan, then why did not the martial law authorities impose restrictions on it from the very beginning? Propaganda in favour of the six-point programme had been going on in Bengal for one year before the elections and the elections were fought on this issue in Bengal. Apart from this, when the President went to Bengal and met Mujib Sahib , be announced that Mujib would be the fuiure Prime Minister of Pakistan. If the six-point programme was dangerous to the integrity of Pakistan, then why was it given such latitude.
Did not the same Qayyum apepal to the President to accept the sixpoint programme of Mujib Sahib. When he was on the way to Bengal, he told Press corespondents in Karachi that the six-point programme was acceptable for Bengal and was into correct for West Pakistan. You can judge for yourself whether this is into breaking up of Pakistan and bringing in two constitution in one country.
Similarly Bhutto Sahib had accepted five out of the six-points. Bhutto Sahib is a strange person. Some times he says one thing and some times another. He blamed Mujib Sahib for bringing forward the suggestion of having tow Assembles. The fact is that Mujib Sabib had won the majority in the whole of Pakistan and he would have become the Prime Minister of the whole of Pakistan. What advantage or interest could he have in bringing about two Assembles. This was the demand of Bhutto Sahib. He wanted of that in East Pakistan Mujib Sahib should be the Prime Minister whereas in West Pakistan Bhutto should be appointed as Prime Minister. This demand means that there should be two separate Assembles, one for West Pakistan and the other for East Pakistan. The proposal for two Assembles was thus derived from the demand of Bhutto Sahib. How can be deny that the proposal for two Assembles was not his own. Poor Mujib was forced to accept this proposal for the sake of compromise.
The leaders of the National Awami Party did not accept the proposal. They said we do not want to divide the country into two parts. We have fought the election for the Assembly of Pakistan and not for the Assembly of West Pakistan or for the Assembly of East Pakistan.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 23.5.71