KARACHI: “We are at least a hundred times stronger today than what we were at the time of partition” was the heartening announcement made in Parliament yesterday [March 25] by Prime Minister Mr Liaquat Ali Khan, while winding up a debate on the demand for “Ministry of Defence”. The Prime Minister reassured East Pakistan members who had expressed concern over the war hysteria in West Bengal Press, that “every inch of Pakistan territory in the East and in the West” was equally sacred, and would be defended to the last man.

…[T]he Prime Minister declared that the “greatest defence” of a country was unity amo­­ngst its people and peace in the land. He said he was happy to note that Pakistan was a “uni­t­­ed nation” and except for the “last un­­f­ortu­na­­te and deplorable incidents” in East Pakistan there had been perfect peace and order… .

The Prime Minister assured that so long as there was peace and unity and the “determination to defend freedom” we have nothing to fear. The Prime Minister announced that he would make a statement in Parliament … giving impressions of his East Pakistan tour.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2025