INDIA - PAKISTAN SITUATION REPORT (AS OF 1530 EST)

Created: 12/20/1971

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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CENTUM, INTELLIGENCEirectorate of IntelUgonco1

MEMORANDUM

FOR RELEASE DATE.1

Situation Report (AsEST,

Hew Rogimo In Pakistan

Bhutto spoke to the nationEST. The address contained no realtermed tho present time one of tha mostin Pakistan's history and pledged tonow and strong country. He reitorated thatio an "inseparable ond indissolublePakistan."

Ambassador Farland met Bhutto'sthe airport0 EST this morning, butto make his way through the crowd ofto speak with him at that time have an opportunity at the airport topossible shape of the new governmentSecretary Sultan Khan. All vestigesmilitary government according to Khan,urely civilian government la to bo in- Tho Foreign Secretary thought thatAbdul Hamid and several othersboon close to Yaliya would bo removedbut added that he doubted very muchwould be subjected to trial, as advocated

by Air Marshal Asghar Khan, among others.

Farland later met withlattor explained that he had met with Yahya "his return to Rawalpindi, and "in adramatic exchange" Yahya had resigned. Bhutto

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said that although ho had thereby become martial law administrator, as well as president, he had no intention of maintaining martial law for any length of time. He said, however, that he would hit hard on the subject of law and order in his rirot address to the nation andewwould be written as soon as possible.

4. Bhutto expressed his deep and sincere appreciation for the courtesies recently extended to him in Washington and New York and stressed his country's great need for aid and assistance. e said that, unlike tho us, China had notits obligations to Pakistan,and he saw no need to visit Peking in the near future to discuss Pakistan's new situation. (According to pre3sBhutto 3aw the Chinese Ambassador immediately after his talk with the US Ambassador.)

5. Bhutto also told Farland that he would make an effort to reunite the two wings of Pakistan, perhaps in some loose confederation, and that any people who were presently'detained forreasons would bo released. He did not name names nor did he allude to the fate of tho Dengali leader. Sheik Mujibur Rahman.

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believe that their image has been damaged by China's failure to come to the aid of Pakistan.

Those leaders, whose strength lies mainlyPunjab, believe that the leftist causebe saved if Bhutto willtrongon the need for moving the countrysocialism. They fear he willslowly, however, and plan to cress himstreet demonstrations intheir demands. 1

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7. us officials in Karachi report that anti-Yahya and anti-Soviet demonstrationstoday with rowdy crowds roaming the streets burning liquor stores (in protest against yahya'* alleged excessivend attacking Soviet air line and trade offices. In spitealleneral'strike by several politicalost businesses opened for at least part of the day and public transport was available at all times. rowd-controlbrownout* has been laid on for Karachi tonight.

Relations' with: Afghanistan

'8. The US Ambassador in KabulAfghan Government is deeply concernedprospect of having to deal with Bhutto. Shah has described Bhutto aspathologicalho ismoment and wavering-the next. The KingBhutto will attempt toargainmilitary, but he questions how enduringbargain will

Afghan Government intends toneutral policy regarding developments onbut is worried over theincreasing controversy thcro,the Soviets and the Chinese. KabulBhutto will draw closer to China andits attempts toeutral courseunder increasing Soviet pressure to act

' Developments" in' Bang la Posh

Dacca, after an initially poorto official appeals for government,and private employees to returnoffice staffs are now beginning totheir former duties. Bus and roilbeen restored in some areas, and orders have

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boon given to renew steamer and launch Service. Telephone and radio links between Dacca and tho outside world are gradually being reestablished, although TV broadcasting, which had earlier been resumed, has now been cancelled. Banks areto reopenecember and many shops--mainly ownedangla Dosh government ministers are, according to thelated to arrive in Dacca from India in lesseek. Tho Bangla Desh secretary general is quoted as saying that the arrival of the ministers-has been delayed due to "certain exigencies."

11. ihari area ofargeof men, women, and children reportedly were killed by rampaging Bengalis during the period fromoecember. Many of the men killed wore Razakar uniforms and were apparently attacked by vengeance-seeking Mukti Bohini. Many of the latter'have now been disarmed, and the situation sinceecember, when four other Razakarsally" in Dacca, seems to have settled down considerably. Joint Muktindian Army patrols have beon- established in various parts of the city, and Indian guards have been assigned to foreign consular establishments following looting attempts at the Japanese and Nepalese consulates onecember^

Pakistan's defeated General Niazi and Major General parman Ali, the military adviser to the former West Pakistani-appointed governor of East Pakistan, have been brought to Calcutta from Dacca. There is no indication that the Indians plan to bow to Bengali demands, that West Pakistani prisoners-of-war should be tried as war criminals for the killingargeof Bangla Dosh intellectuals shortly before the Call of Dacca.

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Tlve Military situation

13. Sporadic light weaponsIndian and Pal;istani--contlnue3 along cease-fi

protect their positions. The Indians mayctively seeking out enemy forces who stopped fighting while still on Indian territory

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14. The Indian Army will continue to maintain positions on the border with Most Pakistan so longolitical settlement is not reached with Pakistan, according to Lt. Genoral K. P. Candeth, the western Command's commander-in-chief.

one oactaxjon or west Pakistani troops naa orossGcT^^^

over from East Pakistan into Burma byecember. The Burmese requested that the Pakistanis disarm, out too mtwi refubed una the local Burmese authorities have not attempted to force theissue. They are keeping the Pakistani forces unaer close watch pending instructions from -Rangoon. Although some of- the Pakistanis have crossed into tho Chin Hills area of Burma, the majority are to be found in Arakan .state, the same areaubstantial number of Bangla _ ' Desh refugees, who fled from East Pakistan months earlier, are also to be found.

in- India"

IS. Anti-American demonstrations'areat various us official installations thrbughout India. Police protection has been adequate, and little damage has occurred. With the rumored departure of US Seventh Fleet shipsourse into the Bay of Bengal, thefor violence should further decrease.

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17. Indian Defense Minister Jagjivan Ram acknowledged the new Pakistani Presidentublic rally today in which ho extended India'sof friendship" towards Pakistan. Hothe hope that Bhutto would look at recent developments "in their true perspective" and recognize Bangla Bosh and release Sheik Mujibur Rahman. Ram also expressed his pleasure at the fact that India's "glorious victory" had led to the end of military rule and the restorationivilian government in Pakistan.

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