KARACHI: The Prime Minister, Mr Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, yesterday [Oct 2] extend­­ed to Bangladesh, Pakistan’s hand of friendship and brotherliness on the basis of justice, fair play and equality. Addressing a big … crowd … at the airport he said Bangladesh and Pakistan were brothers and would remain as brothers. … They (Bangladeshis) had made a joint struggle in the Pakistan Movement and “we cannot forget their sacrifices”.

The Premier said he was terribly moved by the reports that the people in Bangladesh were neither getting enough rice to eat nor enough cloth to wear or even to cover the dead. He, therefore, renewed his offer … to supply rice and cloth ... to meet these basic requirements for which … they need not depend on “others”. Mr Bhutto was ... categorical ... that Pakistan would not recognise Bangladesh under duress. — Staff reporter

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from Teheran,] the Iranian Government said today [Oct 2] it had uncovered a plot by a group of “Marxist Communist terrorists” to kidnap the Shah, Empress Farah and other members of the Royal family.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2023