Interview with Radio Pakistan on December 20, 1972

President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said that the recognition of Bangladesh will facilitate the return of the Pakistani prisoners of war.

In his exclusive interview in Urdu with Radio Pakistan, the President said that he would ensure that these prisoners of war were repatriated immediately with the recognition of Bangladesh.

The President emphasized that the final decision in respect of recognition had to be taken by the people and by the national Assembly for it was the only democratic way to settle issues. According to his assessment of the situation, it was in the interest of Pakistan to accord recognition to Bangladesh. He, however, was in no hurry in this regard because a time would come when the people themselves would realize that there was no other alternative. Such vital issues, he pointed out, could not be decided in an emotional manner in class rooms or colleges. These must be decided in the National Assembly which was a proper forum for them.

The President said that he was neither a military general nor a political adventurer. Nor did he have any veto power. He would respect the wishes of the people and whatever decision was taken, would be acceptable to him.

The President said that he was the elected representative of the people and the people had reposed their trust in him. He, therefore, felt it to be his duty to guide them on right lines. He made it clear that he had never acted against the national interest. But it was strange that those who opposed Pakistan were now in the forefront against recognition. Their pleas was that recognition would militate against the two nation theory. He referred to the documents of the Quaid-I-Azam and Allama Iqbal, the book of Chaudhry Rehmat Ali and the talks between the Quaid-I-Azam and Mr. Suharwardy and said a study of these would repudiate this assertion.

He said that direct contact could be possible with Muslim Bengal only after recognition of Bangladesh. This would be in our interest, in their interest and in the interest of the Muslims. We could exchange visits and have trade which would minimize the Indian influence. Non-recognition was deepening the Indian influence and those who were opposing recognition were only serving the cause of India and they did not favor links with Muslim Bengal. The President said if the people did not want to meet and talk to the people of Muslim Bengal, how could links between the two be established and fostered.

Answering a question, the President said, as regards the admission of Bangladesh to the United Nations, it had been made clear by the People’s Republic of China that till the resolution of the Security Council No. 307 was implemented and prisoners of war repatriated, the Chinese would go on using their veto. He said they would have to search for peace in the subcontinent itself. The people must be aware of the past experience during the last twenty-five years. Referring to the interdependence of the two resolutions, adopted by the General Assembly regarding the repatriation of the prisoners of war and the admission of Bangladesh, the President said it had indicated Pakistan’s stand. It was our suggestion that the two should be interdependent.

Replying to a question about the next Consortium meeting, the President said we were now paying the debts of Bangladesh because we have not recognized it. They say we have to pay. All right, we are paying and we would go on paying if there is a possibility of a Unity between the two. The President said he was not opposed to sacrifice but this sacrifice should be for a right cause and should not go waste.

Answering questions about the prices of essential commodities and the economic situation in the country, the President said when large scale reforms were introduced there was bound to be some dislocation. These reforms could not yield immediate results. Land Reforms had been introduced and land was being distributed among the landless and the results would be visible within a year. He said that the wages of workers had increased by forty per cent as a result of labor reforms. But production had gone down by forty per cent because of hartals.

In the field of education reforms, the Government was spending four hundred million rupees so that the children of the poor workers and peasants got free education. They were also building quarters for workers.

The trend of rising prices, he said, was there all over the world. The shortage of foreign exchange, devaluation, suspension of foreign aid and the after-effects of the War have had their effects. During the war, no attention was paid to the economy. Those who talked of war, and said they were prepared to lay down their lives, should know that the biggest sacrifice was in the field of economy, because its effects were to be felt by future generations. He said that we were trying our best that the flow of foreign aid was resumed and this was being done slowly. But this would take time. We were trying our best to make the country self-sufficient. The expenditure on defence and other non-developmental expenditure affected the economy.

In addition, five thousand square miles of Pakistan territory were in enemy hands and ten lakh people got uprooted and unemployed. The Government was spending three hundred million rupees on these people.

The people belonging to Shakargarh and Sialkot could have cultivated their land and contributed to production.

These were some of the reasons which made the prices rise. There was also large scale smuggling of rice, wheat and sugar. The President said that Government was trying their best to ensure that the country became self-sufficient in wheat and sugar in a year’s time. They were also setting up two or three textile mills in the public sector in order to compete with textile mills in the private sector and to bring down prices at a reasonable level. With the rise in production, many of their problems would be solved and in this regard, he needed the patience and cooperation of the people. He said that with people’s cooperation, they could reach any height and bring down even mountains.

Asked about making the rural areas attractive in order to check the flow of people to the cities, the President said, this was an international phenomenon. He thought this could be checked in Pakistan. Work on three or four Tehsils of the Punjab and Sindh had begun on the scheme of agrovilles and this would improve the situation.

About the transport problem of the people, particularly the students, he said all efforts were being made to solve them.

In reply to a question about socialism, the President said as far as economy was concerned their socialism was scientific socialism. But they had their own faith and culture and these could not be abandoned. He said that the elections at the proper time are a must in democracy, he would give a programme and a manifesto to the people to march ahead.

His party, he said, was a revolutionary party and would remain so.

About the mixed economy, the President said, that could for the time being function in the country and it was their intention to give it a fair trial.

Speaking about the respect the people had shown to democratic institutions, the President said that during the last twenty-five years, they had respected them but they had scant regard for the substance of these institutions. Even a constitution could not be framed. But he hoped with the constitutional accord reached on the twentieth of October, he would be able to give the people a Constitution. Now the democratic institutions, including the National and Provincial Assemblies, were functioning in the country. The Judiciary was independent and the Supreme and High Courts were free to give judgments. There was full freedom of the press and platform. And every attempt had been made to maintain it in compatibility with democratic principles. That freedom of the Press and the platform which ran counter to democracy could not be given. Those people who wanted to create chaos in the country through undemocratic means, would be resisted.

The President said that the issue of Provincial Autonomy would not have assumed a serious turn if the country had a Constitution from the very beginning. The issue had now been resolved. Different parties had been allowed to form governments in the Provinces and to have their own governors. This was unprecedented in the history of the subcontinent.

In reply to another question, he said that the Assemblies — National and Provincial — would sit for longer sessions when there was a permanent constitution. He said that he had full respect for democracy as he had fought for it.

About bureaucracy, the President said that the Government servants should realize that they were not rulers but servants of the nation. He said that there should be greater consciousness among the people so that they could think and ponder what was in their best interest and what was not. The President emphasized that he believed in peace. He wanted time to solve internal problems, give a just administration to the people, implement the reforms in order to march forward. It was necessary to set their institutions in order and to raise the standard of living of the people and to make the country a prosperous state.