Morning News
25th February 1969
Mujib in Pindi
RAWALPINDI, Feb 24 (APP): Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman arrived here this evening form Lahore but he could not be seen by a milling crowd gathered at Chaklala airport to welcome him.
A Large crowd chanting “Pindi, Dacca are one” returned disappointed this evening when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman left his plane from pilots’ door and drove off in an unidentified car.
When the plane arrived at 8-10 p.m. the crowd swarmed round it and blocked the gangway. Awami League leaders accompaing Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asked the crowd to make way for their leader as he was not feeling well But the crowd pressed on and despite repeated appeals from Awami League leaders and Sheikh Abdur Rashid, a local student leader, over megaphone. The crowd refused to clear the way.
They shouted slogans of “East Pakistan hero, Mujibur Rahman Zindabad “and” Islam Zindabad “Z. A. Bhutto Zindabad”.
Earlier, in the lounge a group of students shouted slogans of “One Unit Zindabad” “Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Zindabad” and “Air Marshal Asghar Khan Zindabad”
A number of Opposition leaders including Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan the DAC convener and Mian Mumtaz Mohammad Daultana, were also present at the airport but they too were unable to meet Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
An Awami League leader of Lahore. Mr Hamid Sarfraz, had a bad time as the people taking him as Mujibur Rahman would not let him go till well after the East Pakistan Awami League Chief had left the airport.
When Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was still inside the plane, Mr. Hamid Sarfraz, with great difficulty appeared on the gangway and people mistook him as Mujib and Shouted Zindabad slogans. He was also garlanded While most of the people later realised that he was not Mujib a section of them kept him surrounded shouting Zindabad slogans.
সুত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু: পঞ্চম খণ্ড ॥ ষাটের দশক ॥ চতুর্থ পর্ব ॥ ১৯৬৯