PAKISTANI AIR ATTACK
PTI reporting
In the continued absence of independent news reporting from East Pakistan, the Press Trust of India (PTI) and the government run All-India Radio quoted unconfirmed reports of renewed Pakistani air attacks on the towns of Khulna, Comilla, Chittagong and Sylhet.
The radio said that all lorry drivers in East Pakistan had been told to hand over their vehicles to the martial law authorities-presumably to ease the army’s supply problems.
PTI quoted Radio Pakistan as saying that martial law authorities had asked people living near milltary airports to leave their homes by Monday morning.
Radio Pakistan reported again that the situation was calm throughout East Pakistan, and that all measures were being taken to restore normal economic life. It said the curfew would be further relaxed in Dacca from Monday and advised the public to be on guard against “rumour mongers”.
Even during curfew hours, life could go on inside people’s homes and there was no need to keep the lights out, the radio said.
The radio also reported that a number of diplomats based in Dacca were taken on a visit to Chittagong Sunday to see the situation there.
It did not say which countries they were from.
(PTI) issued more unconfirmed reports of bombing by the Pakistani Air-Force of towns in East Pakistan.
PTI quoted authoritative sources in the border town of Agartala as saying that the authorities had decided on a policy of systematic bombing to wipe out the resistance by supporters of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The agency also reported that three refugees arriving at the town of Mushidabad had said that at least 2000 unarmed civilians has been killed during a fiveday battle at Rajshahi between March 27 and 31.
The army had shelled Rajshahi and especially the university area with artillery and mortars, the refugees were quoted as saying.
Radio Pakistan denied that the army was no longer in control of Jessore and Comilla.
Pakistan Insists on India’s meddling
Pakistan has insisted that armed infiltrators crossing the border from India into East Pakistan to assist the secessionist movement there.
The official Pakistan Radio Saturday night repeated allegations to this effect and added that the martial law authorities had taken adequate measures to deal with the situation. It also said that gun running had taken place into East Pakistan.
Reference : The Djakarta Times, 06.04.1971