Malik’s appointment will make no difference
NEW DELHI, SEPT. 1— The move by President Yahya Khan to permit a civilian Governor. Dr. A. M. Malik, at Dacca competent observers here say, will make no difference in the ironheel rule by the Pakistani Army in East Bengal.
Gen. Tikka Khan, the outgoing Governor, is likely to he given a suitable military post- suitable to his past bloody recordy of killings, suppression and liquidation (Beluchiatan, Pakhtoonistan and latest East Bengal) He may even have to do something with the military command involving the divisions in East Bengal.
It should not be supposed that be is in disgrace. With yet another threat of war given by Yahya khan today (in an interview with a French journalist), Tikka Khan’s services will enjoy a higher order in Pakistan.
The man who takes over the post of the Martial Law Administrator, Lt. Gen. Amir Abdullah Khan, is one of the tough military hawks though he is not among the chosen six Generals who are the hawkest of the hawks. These six behind Yahya Khan are: (all Lt. Generals) Gul Hasan, Pirzada, Akbar Khan, Tikka Khan Omar and Yusuf.
The stooge Yahya Khan has picked up as the civilian Governor will have no say in Martial Law administration. The two posts are bifurcated. This means that he will just be a puppet in the hands of the military junta. As the head of the Civil Administration, Dr. Malik will have hardly anything to do as the civil administration does not exist.
AFP adds from Rawalpindi : Pakistani President Gereral Yahya Khan today appointed Dr. Abdul Motaleb Malik as civil Governor of Bangladesh.
Dr. Malik was an ambassador for several years and was a member of President Yahya Khan’s Cabinet from August 1969 to February 1971. Before his present appointment he was special assistant to the President for displaced persons.
A government spokesman announcing Dr. Malik’s appointment added that work on a draft constitution is well under way”.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 2.9.1971