Peaceful Condition Restored
Curfew in Dacca to be Lifted
India Calls for End of Masscre
The official Pakistan radio as reported from New Delhi said Wednesday night that peaceful conditions have been restored throughout East Pakistan.
But the radio stated for the first time that a large number of people left the province because of “terror tactics of miscreant.”
They had now approached the authorities for travelling facilities to return to the east.
The radio said half the shops were now open in Dacca, the water supply was satisfactory and electricity had been restored to most area. Chittagong was gradually returning to normal and port facilities were intact.
Old Dacca Under Mujibor’s Control?
Official sources in Delhi said the Sheikh Mujibur’s supporters controled the old Dacca while the center of the city was still in the hands of the Pakistani Army.
The Pakistani Army was said to have used Russians and Chines made tanks in servral sectors.
Thirty five engineers of the “Libration Army” were reported to be repairing the Dacca radio station, damaged during its “recapture” two days ago.
Menwhile popular protests aganist Pakistan government’s military action in its eastern wing contimed in various parts of India.
Garkhali’s Situation In Garkhali East Pakistan, a corospondent reported that only old men and women are left in this village just accross the border from India. Young men have gone to join the fight for East Pakistan’s independence. The villagers were proud of their fighting men and confident of victory.
But they are looking to India for all the help they can get.
Men have been trying to cross the tiny Sonai River into India for arms and ammunition.
Indian border security forces keep many of them away, but some do get in. There is also a trickle of refugees going accoss by boat with all their belongings, including bicycles.
Khulna Under Free Bengal Armys’ Control
Khulna is now reported to be under the control of the Free Bengal Army.
Though the nearest East Pakistani town is only 13 miles (20 kilometers) from Garkhali, the villagers said they had not received any hard news about the fighting in the interior and that had made them anxious.
Their only source of information was talking to Indian youngsters crossing the border and Indian newspapers.
Indian border guards Wednesday stopped several groups of students trying to reach this strife town province. But his leader was allowed to cross hand over money collected for East Pakistan relief.
But there was nobody on either side to confirm that, the east Pakistanis has succeeded in getting any arms, or ammunition from Indian civilians.
Curfew in Dacca to be Lifted Martial law authorties announced curfew in Dacca will be lifted for twelve hours every day from six am to six PM till further order.
Restrictions on assembly of five or more persons will however remain inforce upto April 15.
In addition to two major English dailies Pakistan Observer and Morning News two Bengali newspapers Daink Pakistan and Purbo Desh have resumed publication.
Indian Resolution Meanwhle India’s parliament called Wednesday for the immediate cessation of the use of force and “the massacre of defenceless people” in East Pakistan.
It approved a resolution introduced by Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi calling on governments all over the world to put pressure on the Pakistan Government to halt “the systematic decimation of people which amounts to genocide.
Amid wild cheers from members, Mrs. Gandhi said that the people of East Pakistan were being suppressed by ‘bayonets’.
“Atrocities were being perpetrated on an unprecedented-scale upon an unarmed and innocent people and Indians could not remain indifferent to the massacre tragedy” being enacted close to their border.- Reuter.
ref. The Djakarta Times, 2.4.1971