KARACHI: General discussion on the Budget on Friday [March 17] was eclipsed by Mr B.K. Dutta’s statement in Parliament of the day before. It was characterised as a “gross misstatement” and every word of it was challenged by the Speakers. … Indignation ran high in Government Benches. What made Mr Dutta make this “mis-statement”? the Speakers asked… .

Dr I.H. Qureshi in a 4,000-word statement gave a crushing reply to Mr Dutta’s “astounding charges”. He … proved [every point] to be incorrect by giving the facts of each case. He characterised the statement as an “improvement on the Hindu Mahasabha’s propaganda”, and observed: “Mr Dutta would probably earn their special gratitude for giving them a new line of thought.”

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies,] referring to [Mr Dutta’s] allegations on the “plight” of Hindus in East Pakistan, Mr Pathan said that the refugees entering East Pakistan were literally stripped of all their belonging, while Hindus going from East Pakistan carried “all their bag and baggage” across the border in some cases under full protection of East Pakistani Police.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2025