World Bank wants aid to Pindi put off
From Our Special Correspondent NEW DELHI, JUNE 18 Official and political sources here today welcome the reported recommendation of the World Bank to indefinitely postpone the consideration of any financial aid programme to Pakistan.
This has come in the wake of India’s diplomatic offensive against Pakistan over Bangladesh affairs. But the decision of the World Bank has not been influenced by India’s persuasive arguments. It has its own ledger-keeping reasoning of profit and loss to a client like broke Pakistan. But it is admitted here that India’s diplomatic offensive to move important Western powers has started earning dividends. And for the first time, it appears, important world powers have broken their studied silence and veered to a stance asking Pakistan for a political settlement with East Bengal.
Mr. Cargill, World Bank Chairman, who had recommended the indefinite postponement of the meeting of the Aid Pakistan Consortium, had visited West and East Pakistan early this month. He had found that the conditions in Bangladesh and in Pakistan were not conducive to foreign investment because of political uncertainty and economic depression resulting from the widespread destructive Pak Army action leading to stoppage of productive activities.
It is just the profit-and-loss account which is behind the decision to postpone the Consortiums aid programme for Pakistan. But nobody can deny that Indian diplomats have succeeded in bringing the question to the surface, immensely helped by the world Press particularly of the Western countries.
India’s Foreign Minster, Mr. Swaran Singh, the Education Ministry, Mr. S. S. Ray and the Industrial Development Minister Mr. Moinul Huq Choudhury have carried the Indian brief to important countries abroad. By now, the USA. France, USSR. West Germany. Canada Japan and Sweden have asked Pakistan to have a political settlement with Bangladesh. This , certainly is an advance in early April when these countries particularly the five aid- giving ones (USA, France, Canada, Japan and West Germany). had refused to comment either way. Now they are a little vocal.
It may be pointed out here that when Mr. Peter Cargil was leaving Karachi for the USA day before yesterday, he had told the press that he had no idea of the quantum…. of assistance to Pakistan. but there was every possibilities of an increase in the food aid to Pakistan (for refugees and the famine- stricken). The USA, the most important country in this question has gone a long way from her earlier position of no-interest to one that openly asks Pakistan today for a political solution to the problem, and to create conditions for the safe retum of refugees of East Bengal now in the Indian territory.
And it is just here that the Indian diplomatic programme has gained some ground. In early April this year the world was silent over the tide of refugee influx from Bangladesh to West Bengal, Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya.
Nevertheless now they all are supporting the Indian line: these refugees must go back to East Bengal and that conditions must be created for their safe return.
There is no doubt that this point offers a bouquet to the Government of India, much praised for its restraint over the inflammable Indo-Pak tension. This must also be noted that an official spokesman of the U.S. Government had denied that the U.S.A had been equating India with Pakistan.
But the Indian efforts abroad have not been able to convince world powers to stop all economic aid to Pakistan, Most of the important countries have made it known that the aid in the pipeline would continue.
This group includes even the USSR. But Indian diplomatic demarche, which has started with Moscow, has borne fruits. The Soviet union leading the socialist countries of Eastern Europe has basically supported the Indian stance, directly or indirectly but she would not stand for the disintegration of Pakistan as a whole.
It is likely that the stand of the Soviet Union ( political settlement with the Awami League of Bangladesh and conditions created for the safe return of refugees) will be enthusiastically shared by the socialist countries of Eastern Europe has basically supported the Indian stance, directly or indirectly, but she would not stand for the disintegration of Pakistan as a whole.
It is likely that the stand of the Soviet Union (political settiment with the Awami League of Bangladesh and conditions created for the safe return of refugees) will be enthusiastically shared by the socialist countries of Eastern Europe. Yugoslavia is one of the socialist countries which had openly sided with India.
In comparison the countries in West Asia and South-East Asia belong to the uncommitted group of nations. It is hoped that in time to come many of them will be a little more vocal over one of humanity’s worst tragedy of death and destruction.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 19.6.71