PESHAWAR: President Ayub Khan said yesterday that Pakistan would take firm steps if Afghan troops violated Pakistani territory. Talking to newsmen, the president said that five to seven Afghan brigades were amassed opposite Bajaur.

President Ayub also said that the government was fully aware of Afghan agents’ activities in the tribal area as also of recent explosions in the Peshawar region by traitors and mischief-mongers. The local administration, however, was fully alive and had the situation well under control. There was no cause of slightest alarm, he added.

He asked the people to help the administration and police to detect disruptive elements. Many arrests have already been made in this connection, the president pointed out.

Replying to a question as to why Afghanistan had concentrated troops near Bajaur and adjacent areas, President Ayub said:

“It is just a face-saving device for boosting the morale of Afghan agents who along with Afghan troops have been the worst victims of frustration after their disgraceful defeat at the hands of loyal tribesmen in Bajaur last September.”

On the issue of Kahsmir, President Ayub said Pakistan would use every possible avenue to get the problem solved. “We will not sit idle,” he said, adding: “Though we cannot say definitely what will happen, we will do our best.”

When he was asked about the possibility of the issue being raised in the Security Council in the near future, he remarked: “Wait and see.”

Sugar quota cut for Karachiites

KARACHI: The two-chhatak cut in the monthly quota, announced by the central government yesterday, was described by Food and Agriculture Minister Lt-Gen Shaikh as “a step towards rationalisation of sugar rations throughout East Pakistan”.

The minister said everywhere else in West Pakistan urban areas the quota was 10 chhataks. As such there was no justification for Karachi to have the higher quota of 12 chhataks. Gen Shaikh added that there had been a decrease in the country’s sugar production this year, and to meet this shortage, the government proposed to import sugar. He said Pakistan’s food position was quite satisfactory as the wheat crop all over West Pakistan was better than ever in the past.