WAR if Bangla part is seized, says Yahya
NEW DELHI, JULY 19.- President Yahya Khan was today quoted as saying that he would declare war if India made any attempt to seize any part of East Pakistan.” reports UNI.
Any such attempt would be treated as an attack on Pakistan. “I shall declare war, let the world note, nor will Pakistan be alone,” he said.
In an interview with a correspondent of the Financial Times quoted by BBC. Gen. Yahya also alleged that Indian troops were shelling many areas of East Bengal and said “this must stop”.
Referring to his reported offer to meet Mrs. Gandhi“ any time anywhere”, Gen. Yahya Khan said he made the offer in response “to many offers of mediation by foreign Government”. “but the lady said no,’ he said.
The President said he was prepated to have an international body of UN observers in East Bengal to supervise the return of the refugees from India. The observers’ task, he said , would be “to the refugees to come back and reassure them in India that they could go back.
The President told the Financial Times correspondent that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman whould be ‘shortly put on trial.”
The trial would be held in camera by a military court. The Sheikh would be allowed to have a lawyer, but no foreign lawyer would be allowed , he said . Gen. Yahya Khan said the charges against he Sheikh were punishable by death.
The power to review the case would lie with the President, he said
DPA says quoting Daily Telegraph that the President intends to visit Bangladesh from July 24 to 29. The Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent reports that Gen. Yahya Khan has informed the East Bengal authorities of his plans, but that the Governor. Lt. Gen. Tikka Khan and his staff were makeing “frantic efforts” to persuade the President to postpone the visit as the situation there was “far from normal.”
No official announcement of the proposed visit has been announced for this reason.
The correspondent adds “The situation has deteriorated during the past few weeks in Dacca, largely as a result of the improved organization and training of urban groups of Bangladesh guerillas.”
Meanwhile, BBC said, the Peoples’ Party leader, Mr. Z. A. Bhutto, said in Rawalpindi today that he was not seeing “eye to eye” with President Yahya Khan on the future of Pakistan.
The differences between the two are said to be over the Presidents term to end the military rule, the radio added.
UPI adds: According to a draft constitution – one of several that have grown out of President Yahya Khan’s June 28 announcement – now circulating among ranking officials in West Pakistan, there would be a “supreme executive” consisting of military leaders along with members of the Assembly that would have power to overrule the legislature.
Included in its powers wold be the ability to dissolve the legislature without abrogating the constitution.
If such things were adopted intact it would leave the military backers of President Yahya Khan as firmly in control of the nation’s destiny as they are now, it could go part way toward mollifying West Pakistani political interests, who would be the dominating force in the National Assembly. It would also be in line with President Yahya Khan’s statement of June 28 that martial law would continue in Pakistan for an unspecified length of time.
Such a constitution probably would not go far toward satisfying aiddonating nations that have been holding back on further commitments until it becomes clear what political steps the Yahya Government has in mind. But some observers feel that this may make no difference even though Pakistan depends heavily on aid.
“Their image in the rest of the world is perhaps not too dominant a factor,” said one diplomatic source.
President Yahya Khan’s June 28 speech said that a list would be issued of National Assembly members from East Bengal who would not be allowed to attend because of participation in “anti-State activities” and that there would not be-elections to select replacements for them. So far the list has not appeared and there has been no word on the elections.
In West Pakistan within the last few weeks police have begun rounding up political activities in Sind province who might make similar cries for autonomy as heard in East Bengal before the March 25 Army crack-down.
Pakistan today handed to the Indian High Commission here a note alleging that on July 15 Indian military planes had violated East Pakistani air space three times, says Reuter.
This is second such protest note this month.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 20.7.1971