Address at Parachinar on November 21, 1972

President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto announced that Pakistan welcomed the Indo-Bangladesh decision to repatriate 6,000 women and children of the Pakistan POWs and it would reciprocate by returning 10,000 Bengali children and women.

Addressing a combined Jirga of Kurram Agency shortly after his arrival here, the President said although it was claimed that the decision had been taken on humanitarian grounds, the fact remained that it was a diplomatic move in view of the U.N. debate on the admission of Bangladesh scheduled for next Monday. India, he pointed out, had also taken the step in its bid to create an impression of cooperation. But, he added, if India really meant what it claimed, it should not only vacate Pakistan’s territory but also release all the Pakistani POWs and try to settle other basic issues.

The President hoped that the good decision, though it had come quite late, would be followed by more such decisions.

He said contact with Muslim Bengal before recognition was necessary to solve the outstanding problems. Muslim Bengal had been part of this country and Pakistan had no enmity towards it. The contact, he said, could be followed by more steps to improve the relations, but those who were opposed to the process he suggested should come forward with an alternative which he was ready to discuss. Dialogues, he said, were being held all over the world to settle disputes between the nations and there was no reason why it should not be held between Pakistan and Muslim Bengal.

The President held out the assurance that his Government would do justice to all and no party or individual should expect a preferential treatment.

He said nothing could stop him from meeting his people in whose welfare he was very deeply interested. Both the Central and the Provincials Governments would jointly try to ensure better living conditions to all the people. That, he said, would not be a favor to anybody but a duty which the present Government stood pledged to do to its people.