পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (সপ্তম খণ্ড).pdf/১১২

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বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র : সপ্তম খণ্ড
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our friends which may add to our problems or aggravate our difficulties at the present time.

 It is in this regard that I must point out with great regret that hardly a day passes without some step or the other being taken by the Government of India o add fuel to an already inflammable situation. The Indian' Prime Minister, for instance, has spoken our more than once, threatening-“action” against Pakistan. This is already creating a very scrious situation in the subcontinent, and if India continues to take advantage of our present difficulties, there is every danger of rapid escalation if not an actual confrontation. After allowing her nationals in full view of so many representatives of the world press, to take advantage of the unfortunate turmoil in East Pakistan and infiltrate openly into our territory in disregard and utter contempt of all rules of international law and conduct for the declared purpose of assisting anti-state elements within our country. India has mobilized her regular army all along the borders of East Pakistan and has now put it, on full alert. War hysteria is being whipped up within the country by Indian leaders and the press joining together in a chorus openly demanding that the refugee problem should be resolved by securing “territorial compensation.”

 These Indian threats to use force have so far been taken calmly by my government and we have been exercising utmost restraint. In his press conference of May 24. President Yahya Khan also expressed the hope that Mrs. Gandhi was not thinking in terms of war as that would not solve any problem. But mounting bellicose pressure of this type can only lead to the same result, namely increasing the threat to peace in the region. Worst of all, such threats will not help a single refugee to return or get resettled in his home. Instead these merely add to their fears and apprehensions, and, in actual fact, discourage and thus delay their return to Pakistan. India can lessen the burden of keeping and feeding these refugees only if 'she would choose to stop issuing threats and begins to co-operate with us and the U.N. agencies to enable the above described (or even better) arrangements being devised to get the refugees back into Last Pakistan. Although I would not like to anticipate your reaction to this situation, I must emphasize that if wounds are to heal and if the refugees are to return to their homes speedily, we in Pakistan must have more of time and understanding and less of tension and pressure.

 We are very grateful to you for your remark in your letter of May 27, to the Secretary of State that the U. S. Government “should immediately respond to Pakistan's stated need for food and medical supplies and water transport for the distribution of relief commodities in East Pakistan”. I would only like to point out that your government is already doing this in very generous measure and we have been assured that even more will be forthcoming to assist us in securing the return and resettlement of our refugees. All that is now required is the assistance of good friends like yourself for securing an abatement of India’s clamor so that it becomes possible for us, using your own words. “to ameliorate the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India”-tensions, which you have rightly held “threaten the peace and stability of the region and needless Great Power confrontation in South Asia. While we are engrossed in a national undertaking of this dimension, it is our sincere hope that our well-wishers abroad will show patience and