“Bhutto bluffed me, Tikka betrayed”
July 14, 1972
YAHYA LAMENTS
The deposed Pakistani president Gen Yahya Khan has blamed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and several army generals including Gen Tikka Khan for the genocide and massacre in Bangladesh and the defeat of the Pakistani military adventure against India. Testifying before the high-powered commission Gen Yahya charged Bhutto of conspiring with army generals including Gen Tikka Khan, Gen Gul Hasan and Air Marshal Rahim Khan to overthrow him and to keep him in the dark about the real intent of both the USA and China in the event of a war between Pakistan and India. The commission has been appointed by ZA Bhutto to investigate the causes that led to Pakistani military debacle.
CABINET MEETS
The cabinet today meets for about two and half hours. The cabinet meeting presided over by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is understood to have discussed several pressing issues including food distribution and law and order.
SEND BACK STRANDED BANGALEES
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad today asks the Pakistani leadership to show true statesmanship by releasing the stranded Bangalees and says, "This will help pacify the simmering disconcert in Pakistan also."
The minister further says that it is in the interest of Pakistan to allow the Bangalees now stranded in Pakistan to return to Bangladesh. The unconditional release of the Bangalees would not only create good will in the minds of the people in Bangladesh towards Pakistan but would also enhance the image of Pakistan in the comity of nations.
COLLABORATORS' TRIAL
A special tribunal in Khulna trying five persons on charge of murder and collaboration has sentenced each of them to suffer life imprisonment.
SOURCES: July 15, 1972 issues of Bangladesh Observer, Dainik Bangla and Dainik Ittefaq.
Comments