Atrocities reply soon’
By Clare Hollingworth in Dacca
Pakistan Government officials in Dacca are referring to the White Paper on the crisis in East Pakistan as “the red book because it drips with Pakistani blood.”
Few Bengalis have read the publication, issued by the Government in Islamabad on Thursday. They have seen only the banal summary which even Ministry of Information officials said was “Old wine.”
The White Paper reached Government circles too late for comment in the local Press.
Moderate Bengalis say the list of major atrocities has been greatly exaggerated and that while the Awami League did act in a lawless manner in March and early April, some of the atrocities were carried out by the Army in attempts to restore law and order.
BanglaDesh supporters have said that they will produce a reply soon. The figures of 10,000 to 12,000 killed at Chittagong and 5,000 at Khulna both seem far too high as quoted in the White pepper.
Reference: Daily Telegraph : 7 August 1971