EAST BENGAL IN AFTERMATH OF WAR
India is clearly concerned about the safety of West Pakistanis-troops, civilians and others- in East Pakistan and is moving them out by track, train and air.
But a government spokesman in New Delhi has denied that rioting in Dacca and claims peaceful conditions are returning to the region now recognised by India as the independent state of Bangla Desh (Bengal Nation).
Indian concern for the lives of. West Pakistanis in the aftermath of the war was highlighted by an announcement from Calcutta Monday night that in addition to Pakistani prisoners of about 20,000 West Pakistani civilians, police and other noncombatants were being brought into India.
“We can provide more protection for them here.” said a spokesman for India’s eastern command, …
The eastern command spokesman said that around 73,000 Pakistani prisoners of war had been counted so far in the east and there were still areas where India had not taken possession. At the start of the war Pakistan troop strength in the region was officially put at 93,000.
About 3,000 troops, many of them wounded, had already been brought out to India and the entire transfer should be completed within a month. He would not say where the prisoners were being taken.
Lieutenant General Niazi “Tiger Niazi”, the Pakistani commander in the East, was flown out to Calcutta Monday and later taken to an unknown destination.
India’s denial
The Indian Government spokesman’s denial of widespread rioting in Dacca … at a public meeting addressed by a Mukti Bahini guerrilla leader.
The spokesman admited there was resentment and hatred among the Bengali population but declared : “… there have been nothing like riots… the situation is as normal as one can expect in a country after eight or nine months of turmoil.”
The Delhi spookesman declined comment on the appointment of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as Pakistan’s new President in place of General Yahya Khan.
Indian defence minister Jagjivan Ram, however, congratulated Bhutto- who has declared that East Pakistan was still part of his country- on becoming the first civilian President of Pakistan in 13 years.
Ram said he hoped Bhutto would realise Bangla Desh was now a reality and would release imprisoned East Bengali leader Sheikh Mukibur Rahman.
Reference : The Djakarta Times, 23.12.1971