Department of State
AIRGRAM
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE A-471
TO: AMERICAN
EMBASSY RAWALPINDI
INFO: DEPARTMENT
OF STATE (NEA/PAF),
FROM: AMEMBASSY
OFFICE KARACHI
DATE:
SUBJECT : REACTION IN THE KARACHI CONSULAR DISTRICT
TO THE BHUTTO ARREST
REF:
SUMMARY
The arrrest of former Foreign Minister Z.A. Bhutto
on November 13 has resulted, not surprisingly, in a round of demonstrations,
processions and other forms of protest throughout the Karachi Consular
District. The restiveness has been most noticeable in Sind, Bhutto's "home
province". However, firm police action in Karachi city, the wide
imposition of Section 144 throughout the District and the arrests of political
figures and student leaders aligned or identified with Bhutto have served to
dampen the ardor of the protestors in most places Hyderabad and some other Sind
towns are exceptionswhile simultaneously removing from the scene those who
might offer leadership to further protest demonstrations. The subsequent advent
of Air Marshal ASGHAR KHAN on the political scene has, at least in Karachi, now
diverted attention away from the Bhutto arrest to speculation on the possibly
new course of Pakistani politics.
END SUMMARY
1. The arrest of Z.A. Bhutto and other opposition
leaders on November 13 set off a round of demonstrations, processions, protest
meetings and other manifestations of dissatisfaction with the regime's action.
While the Bhutto arrest was the main focal point of the restiveness, the degree
of sympathy for Bhutto the man appeared limited. Rather, Bhutto became more
clearly than ever a symbol of the regime's willingness to repress the voice of
criticism and opposition.
2. The following outlines the manner in which the
reaction manifested itself:
I.
a. The pro-Chicom faction of the National Awami
Party (NAP) strongly condemned the arrests of Bhutto and other opposition
figures in a meeting on November 13 and demanded their release. The group's
leader, Zainuddin Khan LODHI, was arrested the next day in a general roundup of
opposition leaders, reported in Karachi 3643. These arrests appeared to be
intended as much to stem student disorders as to silence support for Bhutto,
although both purposes were doubtless served by the detention of leaders of
both the pro-Chicom and pro-Soviet factions of the National Students
Federation.
b. On November 15 a crowd of about 200 students
gathered at Aram Bagh mosque to offer ghaibana prayers for the student victim
of the November 7 Pindi police firing. Police were ready for trouble. When the
crowd became unruly, they quickly arrested 26 students and dispersed the
remainder, thus preventing any real disturbance from emerging.
c. The Karachi District Bar Association scheduled a
procession for November 16 in support of Bhutto, but subsequently postponed it,
probably reflecting the advocates' hesitancy to face the Karachi police. The
march, involving about 200 well-dressed lawyers, went off without incident on
the 19th.
d. Editorial reaction in the Karachi press was
characteristically cautious. Most papers, which had earlier condemned the worst
of the student violence but called upon authorities to find answers to student
grievances, took similarly equivocal positions on the Bhutto arrests. Most
deplored incitement to violence but expressed the hope that the regime would
prove publicly its contention that the detained persons were indeed disrupting
public peace and threatening national security.
II. Elsewhere
Outside Karachi city, protests against the arrest of
Mr Bhutto and others occasionally were linked to disturbances surrounding
student grievances. Section 144 was imposed nearly everywhere in the District,
most notably in Hyderabad. Larkana, Tharparkar, and Kachii. However, trouble
flared in several localities:
Sukkur - Students, "workers", and Pakistan
Peoples Party (PPP) members took out a procession on November 16 demanding the
release of Bhutto and others. At a meeting on the 19th, the PPP leaders
condemned the arrests and demanded the
release of their founder. The group's president,
Mushtaq All BHUTTO, and its secretary, Shafiq AHMED, also supported student
demands and called for release of detained students. The Sukkur Bar Association
protested in a general body meeting against the arrest of Sheikh AYAZ, one of
its senior members, and demanded that the seized men be tried in a court of
law. In Rato Dero, home town of Z,A.Bhutto, a group of students stoned a
private bus on November 15 and were dispersed by police.
Talhar - A procession of students attempted on November 15
to damage railway signals, but were dispersed by police.
Khuhro, Khairpur - About 300 Students stoned the town
committee office and the police station, and forced local shops to close. About
25 students and one teacher were arrested by Khairpur police who were called in
to end the demonstration.
Larkana - The PPP, led by its chairman Abdul Wahed KATPAR,
took out a procession on November 17 demanding the release of Mr. Bhutto. On
the 18th the Larkana Bar Association also marched on behalf of Bhutto.
Nawabshah - The Nawabshah Bar Association took out a
procession on November 21 demanding the release of Bhutto and others.
Opposition parties have scheduled a procession for November 22.
Thatta - Sheikh Abdul Majid SINDHI, Vice President of the
West Pak NAP condemned the arrest of Bhutto, WALI KHAN and others in a
statement issued from Thatta. He defended Wall Khan, saying that the frontier
leader was an advocate of provincial autonomy, not of independence. He advised Ayub
to hold a round table discussion on the problems causing unrest in Pakistan.
The President of the Thatta district Council Muslim League, Dr M. W. K.
YOUSAFZAI, criticized the Bhutto arrests. An advocate of Thatta, Wali Mohammad
MEMON, also issued a statement criticizing the arrests.
3. COMMENT: Given the critical, often contemptuous view of
4. The subsequent entry into political life of Air
Marshal ASGHAR KHAN on November 17 has diverted the attention of Karachiites
away from the Bhutto arrest. The more open comment stimulated by the seizure
has, if anything, been intensified, but its focus is now almost wholly directed
toward speculation about Asghar Khan's plans and the opportunities open to him
as a result, in the opinion of Karachiites, of the regime's confession of its
own weakness. Bhutto is not forgotten but has receded from view here.
RAMSEY
Source: The American Papers – Secret and
Confidential