War hysteria
As the armed clashes on the Indo-Pakistani borders increased in scope as well as intensity the actual charges on both sides mounted, bordering on war hysteria. We urgently hope the responsible leaders both sides will realize that war will solve nothing, on the contrary will increase the sufferings and misery. The absence of political reforms in Pakistan which could create a better climate in the estern part of the country for the millions of refugees to return to their homeland from their present temporary heaven in India, agravates the situation as days pass without prospects of an early settlement of the problem.
Ali Bhutto, the leader of the largest legal party left in Pakistan after the banning of Mujibur’s Awami League, has urged President Yahya Khan to speedily transfer power to civilian government. Ali Bhutto realizes that continuation of military rule will lead the country to total bankruptcy. With donor countries unwilling to continue giving credits, Pakistan is now facing the spectre of financial and economic crisis. If the military rulers were willing to transfer their powers to a civilian government under Ali Bhutto, the way to solve the grievances of East Pakistan about political economic domination by the western part, remains questionable.
It’s clear that sooner or later the rulers of Pakistan must cut the Gordian knot and introduce reforms that will attract back the millions of refugees or face the possibility of total collapse and war with its neighbour, India, which cannot bear the immense burden of refugees any longer.
Reference : The Indonesian Observer, 27.11.1971