KARACHI: The East Pakistan Awami League’s “Six point programme” was described by the Central Industries Minister, Mr Altaf Hussain, yesterday as “six points to slavery and not six points to salvation”.

After the Minister, who was addressing a Press conference in Karachi had given elaborate facts and figures to show that the Government had made adequate provision in the Comprehensive Investment Schedule for the Private Sector in East Pakistan, a correspondent asked: “Will this satisfy Shaikh Mujibur Rahman?”

Prompt came the Minister’s hard hitting reply: “Nothing will satisfy Shaikh Mujibur Rahman. His six points are not six points to salvation but six points to slavery.” Mr Altaf Hussain added that although the Awami League was “hawking this spurious stuff around in East Pakistan, the people are not buying it”. According to the Minister it had “proved a flop”.

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies from Saigon], South Viet-Nam’s political crisis began spreading today [April 4] from its main trouble spots in the North, reports reaching here said.

According to reports reaching official sources here, martial law was proclaimed in the coastal city of Nha Trang, 200 miles north-east of Saigon, as demonstrators marched on the radio station.

Meanwhile, crowds of students went on the rampage in Dalat, a mountain resort town 220 kilometres north-east of Saigon.

They sacked and burned the Dalat radio station and set up a “People’s Struggle” headquarters at the local office of the Government news agency. Shots were heard in Dalat and martial law was declared. The commander of the Military Training Academy was ordered to take charge of the city from the newly appointed Mayor, Saigon sources said. Police tonight used tear gas to disperse groups of anti-junta demonstrators gathered at various points in the South Viet-Nam capital. American authorities had ordered all American soldiers and civilians to stay off the streets.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2016