KARACHI: Pakistan troops have beaten back several Indian attacks in Mendhar, Tithwal and Bhimber areas in Kashmir. According to Radio Pakistan, heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy and many Indian troops taken prisoner. The UN observers have been informed of this fresh surge of cease-fire violations by India.

At [the] United Nations, Syed Amjad Ali, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, told U Thant, UN Secretary-General, in a letter that Indians were torturing Pakistani prisoners-of-war and violating the Geneva Convention. He asked the Secretary-General to stop the Indians from committing all such acts of barbarity.

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies from the United Nations,] the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Michael Stewart, in a major policy address to the UN General Assembly today [Oct 7] said that if there was to be a final end of the Indo-Pakistan conflict, “the Security Council had to hold the course which it has charted”. This was an allusion to the Council’s promise to come to grips with the basic Kashmir dispute.

Outlining a peace formula for Viet-Nam, starting with a cease-fire, Mr Stewart told the General Assembly that this should be followed by the end of all intervention in Viet-Nam and then a conference under any auspices which held prospects of success. This proposed conference would result in a situation in which both South and North Viet-Nam were safe from attack. The next step would be for the United Nations to initiate a reconstruction programme to repair the ravages of war.

Mr Stewart expressed the British Government’s firm conviction that People’s China should be seated at the UN.

Mr Stewart hoped that future conditions in Viet-Nam would enable truly representative Governments to emerge in the South and the North. Both South and North Viet-Nam should be completely neutral without either foreign troops or bases on their soil.

Published in Dawn, October 8th , 2015

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