STATESMAN, APRIL 28, 1971
BENGALI DIPLOMATS IN USA BEING REPLACED
U. N. H. Q. April 27- The Pakistani Government was replacing its Bengali diplomatic personnel in key positions in the USA, informed sources said yesterday: reports PTI.
They said Pakistan’s Consul-General in New York Mr. M. N. I Chaudhuri, the Minister in Washington, Mr. Enayat Karim, and his deputy were all either being replaced or their work transferred to West Pakistani officials.
None of this action came even as the Bengali Vice-Consul. Mr. A. H. Mahmood Ali, repudiated all connexions with Islamabad and, pledging his loyalty to the Bangladesh Government, sought asylum in the USA for himself and his wife.
The Pakistani Embassy in Washington claimed that Mr. Ali had been transferred to Ghana and had taken an advance for travel, implying thereby that Mr. Ali was not really being victimized. Mr. Ali, however, said while he had been originally asked to go to Accra, these orders were cancelled on April 21 and he had been asked to report to the Foreign Office in Islamabad immediately. Mr. Ali showed newsmen the latest orders issued to him.
The Pakistani Embassy itself would not confirm the change of duties or transfers of their leading Bengali diplomats. It was, however, learnt that the Consul-General’s duties in New York had been taken over by a West Pakistani diplomat. Mr. Hayat Mehdi, And that the Minister, Mr. Karim, who is doing political work in Washington, was being rep. laced by Mr. Zaki, councilor in Pakistan’s High Commission in Ottawa.
American sources believed that whether he is granted asylum officially or not Mr. Mahmood Ali and his wife would probably be allowed to stay on and no action would be taken to compel them to leave the USA.