Address to Indian prisoner of war at Lyallpur camp on November 27, 1972
The decision to release unilaterally all 617 Indian prisoners of war, captured during last December conflict with India, was announced at Lyallpur by President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who, while addressing them in the vicinity of their camp, said: “You are all free from this moment and could return to your homes happily.”
The President said that his Government had decided to release them unconditionally according to international agreements and the Geneva Convention.
The President who had specially flown in to Lyallpur to announce this decision told officers and jawans of the Indian Army and Air Force held prisoners to carry the message to India that Pakistan had no enmity towards their country.
The President, however, regretted that while Pakistan had no animosity towards India, India still considered Pakistan as its enemy. This, however, would be decided by history, he said.
As the President rose to address the Indian prisoners of war, he said: “Officers and men of Indian armed forces, my name is Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and I had been elected by the people of Pakistan during the last general elections. Our party got majority of seats in the National assembly and with a mandate of the people’s verdict I took over as President of Pakistan after the war between India and Pakistan had ended.”
After a brief introduction, the President said that this was not the first war between Indian and Pakistan; since partition of the Subcontinent they had fought three wars.
He told the Indian POWs that he had not come here to give them a political sermon but at the same time asked them to think that if Pakistan had committed aggression against India, then which Indian territories were under Pakistan’s occupation. In fact, India committed aggression against Pakistan thrice and history could very well vouch for his claim.
Referring to peaceful intentions of Pakistan, the President reiterated that Pakistan had no aggressive designs. The Subcontinent was divided so that the two nations could live in peace and cooperation with each other, he said, and added that the people of both Indian and Pakistan were poor and efforts should be made to ameliorate their lot.
He expressed his grief that disturbances and animosities had started taking shape from the very beginning although the partition of the Sub-continent had taken place on the basis of right of self-determination.
The President pointed out that although Muslims were in a large majority in Jammu and Kashmir state and they wanted to live with Pakistan, there were two wars on the issue of Kashmir. However, the third war between India and Pakistan was the outcome of an international conspiracy, he said.
The President said that Pakistan wanted to live in peace with India but it would not compromise on principles.
He said that Pakistan’s decision to release Indian POWs was in accordance with the Geneva Convention and United Nations resolutions. Pakistan did not want to flout the verdict of the entire world.
He said that if India wanted to keep Pakistani prisoners of war as hostages, it could do so. Pakistani soldiers were brave men. They would suffer anything for any period of time.
He said the ceasefire had taken place, followed by the Simla Agreement but India was still detaining Pakistani POWs.
The President asked the Indian prisoners of war to go home and tell their Government and people that they, too, should see the line of justice and principle. If India took the right and just decisions then Indo-Pakistan mutual problems could be solved without any foreign interference and both the countries could live in peace, he said.
He said that the foreign powers always had their own vested interests in their minds.
Referring to the Yugoslav resolution being moved in the General assembly, the President said that it was an uncalled for interference “in our affairs.”
He asked if America and Canada and various states of Europe could live peacefully together why could Pakistan and India not live together. But Indo-Pakistan disputes must be settled before a lasting peace could be achieved.
Mr. Bhutto said that he wanted to meet the prisoners of war before they left Pakistan but had not come here for their “political education.” “But they must not carry the impression with them that Pakistan had suffered a defeat. “No one can defeat the Pakistani nation.” Only certain persons in Pakistan and the prevalent system in the country had “let us down,” he said.
He said that India was fortunate to have had the right political system and also the correct leadership of the Nehru family. Pandit Moti Lal Nehru and Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru provided India with best leadership, and now Mrs. Indira Gandhi was trying to give a correct lead to her country. He deplored that after the death of the Quaid-I-Azam and Quaid-I-Millat, political atmosphere of Pakistan was polluted.
Morning News Report