National emergency declared in Pakistan

November 23, 1971

TAJUDDIN'S ADDRESS TO THE NATION

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed today called upon the people of Bangladesh to turn the current phase of the Liberation War into a decisive one.

In his address to the nation the prime minister stated, "The Bangabandhu, the leader of the Bengalis, is still a captive of the Pakistani generals. We are convinced that the military junta will see reason and free him only when the exit routes of the occupation army are cut. This is what we are now able to do and intend to do. We shall take on the enemy on land, sea and air and force upon General Yahya Khan the moment of truth he has been waiting for."

He asked the willing collaborators to desist from their acts of betrayal against the country.  "We promise the unrepentant collaborator and his alien master the same fate: death with ignominy," he added.

Tajuddin criticised Nixon's plan for sending a fact finding mission to inquire about the Bangladesh situation and said, "The administration he heads failed to express any horror for the blackest crime of his time, namely, the planned extermination of a million Bengalis or for the brutal uprooting of nearly ten million human beings from their homes. Whatever the US government wishes to achieve through this move, it will not make any difference to our determination to free our country and to create the kind of society we want."

PAKISTAN DECLARES EMERGENCY

Pakistan President Yahya khan declared a national emergency today. He proclaimed the emergency in view of a " threat of foreign aggression". The declaration followed an alleged four-pronged attack by Indian Army and Mukti Bahini in Chattogram, Sylhet,Jashore and Rangpur. Yahya also charged that Indian forces had seized two villages and some border outposts in East Pakistan.

The declaration of national emergency did not specify what measures the Pakistan Government intended to take. The government already ruled by martial law and had wide powers. But a spokesman said that the declaration was "an enabling act" that could pave the way for censorship, civilian mobilization and other measures.

Indira Gandhi today held hurried consultations with her aides as the tense situation along the India-Pakistan border became grave with the declaration of national emergency in Pakistan.

Indira Gandhi invited all the opposition parties next day  to give her their appraisal of the border developments.

THE WHOLE CONTINENT WILL HAVE  A BLOODBATH: BHUTTO

Pakistan People's Party chief ZA Bhutto , talking to newsmen in Lahore on his way to Rawalpindi, said Pakistan would stake its all in defence of the motherland. He added " the whole continent will have a bloodbath." Bhutto was summoned to Rawalpindi by Yahya Khan.

RUSSIA BLAMES PAKISTAN

The Soviet Communist Party paper Pravda today blamed Pakistan for the escalation of tension in the Indian subcontinent which it feared might develop into military battle.

Shamsuddoza Sajen is a journalist and researcher. He can be contacted at sajen1986@gmail.com.