Address to the tribal leaders of Bajaur on November 18, 1972

Addressing tribal leaders of Bajaur President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said that peace would be established if interference in the internal affairs of smaller nations is stopped and their rights recognized. Injustice and strife would end if nations got together and resolve their disputes through negotiation, if Governments attended to the problems of the people and brought them peace and prosperity. These principles symbolized Pakistan’s attitude to other nations for peace with all was the cornerstone of its foreign policy.

Pakistan, the President said, is a small country with limited resources. But its people have faith in their destiny and are determined to solve all their problems – internal and external in the light of this faith. Pakistan is keen to establish peace in the world. If nations are faithful to the U.N. Charter in resolving disputes that plague them, mankind would be saved from the specter of war.

Replying to an address of welcome by the Khan of Khar, the President said that the sacrifices made by the tribal people for the establishment of Pakistan cannot be forgotten. Their role in the Kashmir liberation struggle soon after establishment of Pakistan also cannot be forgotten. He was confident that in future, too, the tribal people would continue to make sacrifices for the solidarity and prosperity of their country side by side with their compatriots elsewhere.

The President said his Government is taking keen interest in improving the economic conditions of the tribal people. It wants to set up industries in their areas to provide jobs to them. So, like in other parts of the country, industries would soon be established in the tribal areas.

He said without fulfilling the economic requirements of the people a progressive and prosperous society could not be established. “We have formulated plans for bettering the lot of the people and we will do our best to implement these projects with our own resources,” he said. Turning to foreign aid, the President declared that his Government would obtain only that much foreign aid it could usefully put into vital projects concerned with improving the quality of life. It would not seek to carry a greater burden than the country could afford. The object, he said, was to reduce our dependence on foreign aid and foster the spirit of self reliance.

The President assured the people that his Government had made certain that there were adequate food grain stocks in the country. His party had not forgotten its election pledges. Roti, kapra aur makan for every citizen was the aim of the Government and it would exert all its energies towards achieving this objective. The Government had set in motion development plans that would make Pakistan self-sufficient in food, God willing. The government wanted not only roti, kapra aur makan for the poor, it also wanted justice and enjoyment of legitimate rights for all sections of the population.

The President called for an end to the politics of mud-slinging and mutual recrimination. It was essential to learn from the past, he said, so that we could all work for a glorious future.

Turning to the future constitution, he said the task of framing it is almost complete and the National Assembly would soon start giving it a final shape. No nation, he said, could be called civilized until it has a constitution to go by. He declared that the Government honored local customs of tribal people and would not like to interfere in their internal affairs.