HERALD TRIBUNE (New York) October 18, 1971
By William Drummond
New Delhi, Oct. 17:—The Indian Army has been placed on alert as tensions on the Indian-Pakistani border have apparently reached the critical point, it was learned today.
Indian Defense Ministry spokesmen say that Pakistani forces are “gathered in strength” on the frontiers in both East and West Pakistan. “Why should we be shy of acknowledging that we are fully prepared to hit back if Pakistanis are foolish enough to hit us ?” said a spokesman.
In Karachi, the official news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan, reported that President Yahya Khan offered to withdraw Pakistani forces along the borders if India with¬draws its forces and ceases infiltration and other hostile acts- Mr. Yahya’s proposal was made at a meeting with Soviet President Nikolai Podgomy in Persepolis during the 25th centenary anniversary celebrations marking the found¬ing of the Persian Empire, the news agency said.
The agency story, filed last night after Mr. Yahya flew back from Teheran, Said : “President Yahya told President Podgorny that if Indian professions of peace were genuine, they should withdraw their armed forces from the borders of Pakistan, cease infiltration and other hostile acts and that Pakistan on its part would also withdraw its armed forces from present defensive positions along the borders.
The President Podgorny also conferred with India’s President V. V. Giri in Persepolis on Friday night, but the agency’s story gave no further details. There has been no reaction in New Delhi so far to the report of Mr. Yahya’s proposal.
The political affairs committee of the Indian cabinet has been meeting daily to review the situation.
Reinforcements At Calcutta
Indian military reinforcements were reportedly being moved up to the Calcutta area to counter any Pakistani move there.
Western sources say that India has brought in about six. divisions of troops in the region since last spring. Some were located close to the East Pakistani border, and others were encamped where they could be quickly moved up to the frontier.
Meanwhile, in the Punjab, which faces West Pakistan, authorities in the border area of Amritsar directed all able- bodied males to take up patrol duties at railway tracks telephone and telegraph lines and other vital installations. Civilian calls to Kashmir have been held up for long periods because of military priorities on phone circuits.
All Indian cabinet Ministers have been asked to cancel their tours abroad. The Minister for foreign trade, I. N. Mishra, was due to leave for Cairo but has postponed the trip indefinitely.
The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, is due to leave next Sunday for an extensive trip abroad that would take her to Europe and the United States in early November, but the fate of her trip is not yet known. She has scheduled one of the rare press conference for Tuesday.
Air Force headquarters in New Delhi had been working a half-day on Wednesdays and Saturdays. They have now been put to full work-days.
The customary night lighting of government’s buildings, in the capital for the Hindu festival of Divali has been cancelled.
Mrs. Gandhi’s explanation for the breach of tradition was that in view of the refugee situation, the national security problem, the floods and drought, there would be no taken of rejoicing for Divali.
The border situation has been tense since last March when the West Pakistan Army moved into East Pakistan to crush the Bengali nationalist movement. This led to the flight of about nine million persons into India, where their care and feeding has put a burden on the Indian economy.
The situation has grown increasingly dangerous over the past week. Observers attributed this aggravation to Mr. Yahya’s speech last Tuesday over Radio Pakistan.
Although the radio message announced Mr. Yahya’s plan to return his country to civilian rule, the Pakistani President -spent most of his talk denouncing India and promising military action to defend the sacred soil of “Pakistan”,
By William Drummond
New Delhi, Oct. 17:—The Indian Army has been placed on alert as tensions on the Indian-Pakistani border have apparently reached the critical point, it was learned today.
Indian Defense Ministry spokesmen say that Pakistani forces are “gathered in strength” on the frontiers in both East and West Pakistan. “Why should we be shy of acknowledging that we are fully prepared to hit back if Pakistanis are foolish enough to hit us ?” said a spokesman.
In Karachi, the official news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan, reported that President Yahya Khan offered to withdraw Pakistani forces along the borders if India with¬draws its forces and ceases infiltration and other hostile acts- Mr. Yahya’s proposal was made at a meeting with Soviet President Nikolai Podgomy in Persepolis during the 25th centenary anniversary celebrations marking the found¬ing of the Persian Empire, the news agency said.
The agency story, filed last night after Mr. Yahya flew back from Teheran, Said : “President Yahya told President Podgorny that if Indian professions of peace were genuine, they should withdraw their armed forces from the borders of Pakistan, cease infiltration and other hostile acts and that Pakistan on its part would also withdraw its armed forces from present defensive positions along the borders.
The President Podgorny also conferred with India’s President V. V. Giri in Persepolis on Friday night, but the agency’s story gave no further details. There has been no reaction in New Delhi so far to the report of Mr. Yahya’s proposal.
The political affairs committee of the Indian cabinet has been meeting daily to review the situation.
Reinforcements At Calcutta
Indian military reinforcements were reportedly being moved up to the Calcutta area to counter any Pakistani move there.
Western sources say that India has brought in about six. divisions of troops in the region since last spring. Some were located close to the East Pakistani border, and others were encamped where they could be quickly moved up to the frontier.
Meanwhile, in the Punjab, which faces West Pakistan, authorities in the border area of Amritsar directed all able- bodied males to take up patrol duties at railway tracks telephone and telegraph lines and other vital installations. Civilian calls to Kashmir have been held up for long periods because of military priorities on phone circuits.
All Indian cabinet Ministers have been asked to cancel their tours abroad. The Minister for foreign trade, I. N. Mishra, was due to leave for Cairo but has postponed the trip indefinitely.
The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, is due to leave next Sunday for an extensive trip abroad that would take her to Europe and the United States in early November, but the fate of her trip is not yet known. She has scheduled one of the rare press conference for Tuesday.
Air Force headquarters in New Delhi had been working a half-day on Wednesdays and Saturdays. They have now been put to full work-days.
The customary night lighting of government’s buildings, in the capital for the Hindu festival of Divali has been cancelled.
Mrs. Gandhi’s explanation for the breach of tradition was that in view of the refugee situation, the national security problem, the floods and drought, there would be no taken of rejoicing for Divali.
The border situation has been tense since last March when the West Pakistan Army moved into East Pakistan to crush the Bengali nationalist movement. This led to the flight of about nine million persons into India, where their care and feeding has put a burden on the Indian economy.
The situation has grown increasingly dangerous over the past week. Observers attributed this aggravation to Mr. Yahya’s speech last Tuesday over Radio Pakistan.
Although the radio message announced Mr. Yahya’s plan to return his country to civilian rule, the Pakistani President -spent most of his talk denouncing India and promising military action to defend the sacred soil of “Pakistan”,
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