PEOPLE'S PARTY LEADER ADMITS RAZAKAR TERROR

 

A leading People's Party official dropped out of a party delegation hours before it left for East Bengal, alleging that power in the eastern wing had been handed over to reactionary and anti-people parties who had massacred political opponents.

 

Meiraj Mohammed Khan, the party's Karachi secretary, said yesterday (Octo­ber 10) that he felt it was "futile for me to go".

 

The 10-man party delegation was scheduled to go to Dacca to survey the situation in view of forthcoming by-elections for 78 seats formerly held by mem­bers of the Awami League.

 

Meiraj alleged that in East Bengal "power in effect has been transferred to those reactionary and anti-people political parties defeated in the elections and rejected by the people".

 

He named one party-the Muslim Jammaat-e-Islami group-of indulging in wholesale massacre of political opponents for which they are using their Razakars.

 

Meiraj, who has influence among students, added: "Under the umbrella of a Government consisting of members of defeated and reactionary parties, elections cannot be free."

 

His action came as President Yahya Khan lifted the six-month ban, with effect from yesterday (October 10), on political activity in Pakistan but laid down stringent rules for the conduct of parties and politicians.

 

People's Party leader Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto told the party delegation yesterday (October 10) "We have watched with great anguish developments over the last eight months and I want you to convey to our brothers in the eastern wing our commitment towards national reconciliation and rebuilding a progressive and tranquil Pakistan".

 

Mr. Bhutto said Pakistanis must stop killing Pakistanis and " live peacefully and with charity towards all. "

Mr. Bhutto said much blood had flown and "we have seen the great tragedy of Pakistanis killing Pakistanis which has brought the nation to the crossroads. "

 

He said East Bengal was exploited in the past and its people were poorer. "The voice of the majority of people of East Bengal, must be given its due weight ". Mr. Bhutto added.

 

(Reuter despatch datelined Karachi-October 11, 1971)

 

 

 

 

Source: Bangladesh Documents, vol – II, p.48