KARACHI: “We have been trying in every way to maintain peace in the world… . We want to have friendly relations with every country … particularly with India with which we have many close ties,” declared Mr Liaquat Ali Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan, broadcasting … from the Karachi Station of Radio Pakistan last night [Sept 22]. He added: “In a recent broadcast the Prime Minister of India said that he wanted to pursue a policy of peace towards Pakistan and that Pakistanis should not entertain in their hearts any suspicion with regard to the intentions of India. I wish to assure the Prime Minister of India, his Government and the people of India that Pakistan wants peace and that ever since its establishment we have followed this policy.

“I must give every assurance … that we want to maintain very pleasant relations with them. But this cannot be achieved unilaterally. If the Prime Minister of India really wants what he said in his broadcast then I assure him that the hand of Pakistan is stretched out in peace for friendship and justice.” On the events in Hyderabad, the Prime Minister said: “Newspapers and statesmen in most countries of the world who believe in peaceful methods are in agreement with us … that India should not have attacked Hyderabad.[”]

Published in Dawn, September 23th, 2023