Pak embassy in Paris denies charge
By DILEEP PADGAONKAR PARIS, July 9: The Pakistani Embassy here reacted feebly yesterday to the allegations of the two East Bengali officials who have sought political asylum in France.
An Embassy source said that the two men were not “diplomats” as certain Press organs had said , but only ” minor officials.’
He denied that the East Bengalis had been subjected to any humiliation as they had charged in a radio interview. He also denied another charge by the two officials that they had been abruptly and arbitrarily transferred to West Pakistan. The date of their retum to Pakistan had been fixed a long time ago,” the Embassy official said.
The news of the East Bengalis defection was carried without any comment by the leading French papers. They underline, however, the humiliations that the two officials had been subjected to by the embassy staff following the civil war in East Bengal. They also stressed the officials statement that they had received sympathetic treatment from the French authorities.
There has been no reaction so far from the French Government to the officials plea for asylum, however. The fear is being expressed in certain quarters that the Pakistani Government might press Paris into reusing such asylum on the concocted pretext that they were in illegal possession of important documents.
When they were told of this possibility during a meeting with newsmen, the two officials said they would not be surprised if such accusations were to be made.
They added that they were prepared to submit themselves to any investigation conducted by the French authorities if there was any suspicion on this count.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 10.7.1971