পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/৬৩৬

604 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড "I am not interested," he said. "My mandate is clear: it is to keep the country united and to give it a civilian government and then leave" We reminded him that the People's Party the main political force in the West wing, wanted him to stay on as President, provided a civilian government is formed. "The People's Party" he said, "represents only one part of the country. If the national assembly, that is the collective will of the people wants me to stay on. I will." Otherwise, I would be too glad return to the army". President Yahya Khan spoke warmly of Iran during our meeting, which lasted nearly 75 minutes. He described the Shahanshah as 'Pakistan's greatest will-wisher" and Iran as "a great source or strength for us." He recalled Iran's help to Pakistan throughout its history and said Pakistan always took heart in knowing that Iran, now "the strongest power in this region, stands behind it." "We are not two countries" he said quoting a Iranian verse that says, "We are the same Soul in two bodies". "I myself am an Iranian," he said. "My ancestors came to the subcontinent from Iran. At home, our language is Persian and we take pride in our nations cultural affinity and unshakable bonds with Iran. I have not been talking to you as an outsider but as my own brother r my own son. My message to the people of Iran is just the salaam of one member of the great family to the other members... Having come to our country you have, in fact, travelled in another part of Iran. We thank God for having given Iran increasing economic and defence strength, and we pray to the Almighty for the greater success of the Shahanshah-a success which will be that of Iran, Pakistan, the whole Muslim World. KAYHANINTERNATIONAL JULY 2, 1971 FIVE VIEWSOPATRAGEDY By Amir Taheri "Oh, this is now a matter for the historian," an East Pakistani friend told me in Dacca the other day when I asked him to give his version of the events that plunged the unhappy land into bloodshed last spring. He was perhaps right. But journalism is the writing of instant history. I decided to ask a number of people to give their accounts of what happened in East Pakistan. It might take many years before the thick fog of unreality created by propaganda and prevarication on all sides clears away. Nevertheless, it is possible to form a provisional picture approaching the reality of the events in East Pakistan. In this article, we shalf see different views of the dramatic events of spring. (i) Lt.-General Tikka Khan Tikka Khan is the military governor of East Pakistan. He arrived on the scene shortly before the decks were cleared for the bloody confrontation between the army and the