Address to the combined jirga of Khyber Agency at Landi Kotal on November 20, 1972

Addressing a combined jirga of various tribes of the Khyber Agency, President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said that Pakistan had signed the Simla Accord with India to adhere to it since “we do not believe in going back on our word.” He said even today Pakistan was ready to start negotiations at all levels to settle the outstanding issues but, he added rights and principles would never be compromised.

About Muslim Bengal, he said that he honestly believed that contact should be established with Dacca to help resume trade and traffic and improve relations between the two.

The President said that Pakistan could not afford to reduce the strength of its armed forces. Unless it was militarily strong, it could not negotiate international issues from a position of strength. “One must have adequate force behind him while negotiating on disputes with others,” he said, pointing out that only those avoided negotiations who had a weak case. Once on the conference table, he said, one would have to admit his wrongs and the same yardstick would have to be applied equally to all with regard to the right of self-determination as well. If something was bad for Pakistan, it could not be good for others.

The President said that after the cease-fire and the Simla Accord, the detention of the Pakistani POWs and continued occupation of its territory had no justification at all. Had India shown a little large-heartedness, he said there would have been further progress. But India had always been narrow-minded and that attitude had done tremendous harm to the people of both the countries. He, however, felt confident that the POWs would have to be released and the territory vacated ultimately.

The President reiterated that people must take a correct decision with regard to Muslim Bengal. One could commit mistakes but he believed that contact should be established with Dacca. He said that if anyone had a better alternative, he was ready to discuss it.

Stressing the need for improved relations with all the neighboring countries, the President said that unless Pakistan was free from international problems, proper attention could not be paid to the internal matters. In this connection, he referred to the relations with Afghanistan and said these could be developed further.

Replying to a point raised by Malik Wali Khan Kukikhel, ex-MNA, that the secession of East Pakistan was the result of political misdeeds, the President declared that no power on earth could separate the four province of Pakistan from each other. He said the four provinces were geographically one entity, while 1,000 miles of enemy territory separated East Pakistan from West. But despite this East Pakistan kept itself associated with West Pakistan for 25 years.

He said Pakistan was the first country whose one part was cut off from the other by 1,000 miles. The United States became the second when it made Alaska-bought from Russia-one of its states. He said the U.S. was spending considerable wealth on the maintenance of Alaska. “Had we resources and wealth matching the U.S. we could have retained East Pakistan.”

The tribesmen had in their address demanded increase in their allowances which, they said, had been fixed about 50 years back when the cost of living was not that high. “But then you did not do smuggling either,” was the reply from the President.

“There is no smuggling even now,” said one of the tribesmen.

“Do not tell me that. I am not Khawaja Nazimuddin,” replied the President. The President said smuggling in all shapes was most undesirable and it had got to be effectively checked in the interest of the country.

He said that one lakh tons of rice had been smuggled out from Chaman alone. In turn, he said, useless items like transistors and tape-recorders were smuggled in.

He said although Pakistan was duty bound to help Afghanistan if the latter was faced with scarcity of food but it should be done in a proper way. A barter agreement could have been more beneficial to both the countries.

The President stressed that while demanding certain concessions and facilities the people must also be equally keen about their responsibilities and extend cooperation to the Government in rooting out evils like smuggling, corruption, lawlessness and adulteration.

So far as problems were concerned they existed everywhere from Karachi to Khyber. Pakistan was a developing country with limited resources, but still a lot of work had been done during the last 10 months. Much more would be done but everything could not be accomplished overnight.

The President declared that lawlessness would not be tolerated and if the Provincial Government failed to control it the Central Government would provide all possible help to it.

Replying to a point raised by the tribesmen, he said that the tribesmen had every right to maintain their tradition to keep a gun with them all the time, but the gun should be used in self-defence or in the defence of the country, and not to browbeat their own people.