Swiss move on repatriation
Indo-Pak accord on ascertaining Bengali diplomats’ allegiance
New Delhi, July 9, India and Pakistan today reached an accord on the modalities of ascertaining the wishes of the former staff of the Pakistan Deputy High Commission in Calcutta who had switched their allegiance to the Bangla Desh Government.
This agreement also marks the end of the prolonged deadlock over the repatriation of the staff of the Indian Deputy High Commission in Dacca since Pakistan had linked it with this issue.
The Swiss Ambassador to India, Dr. Fritz Real, met Mr. S. K. Banerji, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, today and conveyed Pakistan’s agreement on a procedure to ascertain the choice of the 70 former employees in its Calcutta mission.
It has been decided that the Swiss representative would conduct the proceedings in regard to ascertaining the choice, though the officials of both India and Pakistan might be present. The process may be initiated with in a week.
Islamabad had earlier insisted that its Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Mahdi Masud, should question the former staff but this was stoutly opposed by India.
As soon as the process is completed for the former Pakistani staff in Calcutta, India’s Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. K. C. Sengupta, and his colleagues are expected to be permitted to return to India.
The India personnel will be flown from Dacca, as previously arranged, by a Soviet aircraft, while the Pakistanis from Calcutta will be taken to Karachi by an Iranian plane.
Efforts for the mutual repatriation of these personnel from Dacca numbering about 125 and West Pakistani personnel from Calcutta have been continuing since April 26, when the two missions were closed at the instance of Pakistan.
An agreement in principle had been arrived at about three weeks ago through the good offices of the Swiss Ambassador and only the modalities of the proposed meeting between a Swiss diplomat and the Bengali personnel of the former Pakistani mission in Calcutta had remained to be worked out.
Though the details of the modalities were not known, indications earlier were that the Swiss diplomat would not ask more than one question to determine the allegiance of the former Pakistani diplomatic personnel.
Even since closure of the Indian mission in Dacca, Mr. Sengupta and his staff and their families have been virtually under house arrest.
Failing in their efforts to persuade Pakistan to lift there severe restrictions on the India personnel in Dacca, India imposed reciprocal restrictions on Pakistani staff in Calcutta on June 5.
It is hoped here that Mr. Sengupta, who has now been appointed India’s Ambassador to Addis Ababa, will now be able to take up his new post shortly.-UNI-PTI.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 10.7.1971