DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSION IN CALCUTTA CLOSED
Bangla Desh Asks for World Recognition
Pakistan has decided to close down its Deputy High Commission in Calcutta and asked India to simultaneously shut down its Deputy High Commission in Dacca.
Radio Pakistan, quoting an official announcement from the Pakistan capital of Islamabad, said the closes would take effect on Monday. April 26 (today).
Personnel of the two missions and their families would be repatriated under arrangements to be made on a reciprocal basis, the announcement added
PAKISTAN ACCUSES INDIA
Earlier, Pakistan had accused the Indian authorities of failing to act in time to stop what it called an unprovoked and violent demonstration against the newly-appointed Deputy High Commissioner in Calcutta.
An Aide memoire handed to the Indian Foreign Ministry Friday also protested against the alleged failure of the Indian Government to remove East Pakistanis who took over the mission’s premises a few days ago and declared their allegiance to the socalled “Republic of Bangla Desh”.
The protest said the demonstration outside his hotel against Mahdi Masud was an utter violation of recognised internatonal conventions and also contrary to promise by the Indian Government that he would be provided with all necessary protection.
Anti-Masud Demonstrations
Angry demonstrations against Pakistan’s new Deputy High Commissioner in Calcutta led to closure of its mission in the city and a request for India to shut down its High Commission in Dacca.
Crowds demonstrated outside the Calcatta Hotel of the Pakistani envoy, Mahdi Masud, on Tharsday, the day after he arrived to take up his post.
Five days earlier, the former Deputy High Commissioner Hossain Ali, who is an East Pakistani, switched allegince to the so called Bangla Desh (Bengali Nation) Government.
He ran up the nationalist Bangla Desh flag over the mission and took over the offices as representative of the secessionists.
Crowds of Indians threw stones and shattered windows in Calcutta when they broke into the lobby of Masud’s Hotel on Thursday.
He ran into more trouble Friday when he visited a bank. He was met by more hostile crowds and the bank’s staff refused to handle his business.
Slogans were raised condemning “barbarous killing of unarmed civilians” in East Pakistan by West Pakistan troops.
Masud waited in the bank manager’s office till be was able to leave under heavy police escort.
Reference : The Djakarta Times, 26.04.1971