Pak General sends SOS to UN
NEW DELHI DEC. 11—The military junta in Islamabad today frustrated a bid by one of its men in Dacca to save the lives of the West Pakistanis now trapped in Bangladesh.
Major-General Rao Firman Ali, military adviser to the puppet civil Government in Bangladesh, by passing the local commander and Islamabad directly appealed to the UN secretary-general, U Thant, to help pull out the Pakistani troops from Bangladesh.
The General seemed very much concerned at the reports of surrender to the Indian Army by isolated groups of Pakistani soldiers and of the inevitable fall of Dacca.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army chief, the Gen. Manekshaw, in a broadcast called upon Gen. Firman Ali and the Pakistani forces to surrender without delay and avoid loss of lives. He warned the Pakistani commanders that he had instructed the Indian Army to prevent their escape.
Gen. Ali sought the UN help through Mr. Paul-Mare Henry, the French head of the UN East Pakistan Relief Organization. According to reports from the UN, action on the basis of the appeal was under contemplation. When President Yahya Khan sent word that it be ignored. Radio Pakistan reported an official spokesman saying in Rawalpindi that the message to U Thant was “unauthorised.” UN sources in New York said that U Thant still had not heard directly form the Pakistani President.
Gen. Firman Ali’s attempt to secure UN intervention came as the combined Indian and Bangladesh forces advancing on Dacca stood almost ready for the final thrust. In fact troops airlifted to the west bank of the Meghna at Bhairnabbazar began some probing attacks.
Gen. Ali’s move also coincided with successful air, naval and ground action to block the escape routers of the occupation forces in order to force them to surrender. Reports of surrender by Pak troops came from different sectors during the day.
The situation in “East Pakistan” was “very serious” an official spokesman said in Rawalpindi tonight, says AFP.
According to reports from other sources, Pakistani units had lost radio contact with one another.
But in Kaachi a spokesman refused to comment on reports from Dacca that Major General Firman Ali had sent a message to U Thant.
Our Staff Reporter adds: All the escape routes being totally blocked the Pakistani troops in Dacca have started adopting the last trick for survival. They are discarding their Army uniforms and posing themselves as civilians.
Already a number of Pakistani soldiers in Dacca have taken shelter in mufti in different urban pockets and villages, dominated mostly by the non- Bengali.
The occupation forces taking shelter in the non-Bengali dominated areas posing themselves as civilians are reported to have been dumping arms in certain selected hideouts. Such move on the part of the Pakistani troops are causing headache to the Indian Army.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 12.12.1971