DACCA: President Ayub Khan said today [Aug 21] that India had massed troops in enormous strength on Pakistan’s borders, the concentration being mostly on West Pakistan borders.

The President, who was talking to newsmen immediately on his arrival here from Lahore, was asked by a correspondent if India has massed troops on Pakistan’s borders. Replying in the affirmative, President Ayub said the Indian Army was there on the border in enormous strength — they were mostly on the West Wing border.

After brief airport formalities, the President walked to the waiting newsmen. He said he was happy that crops this year looked good in this Wing. The jute crop had also come up well and he was happy to know that the common man was getting due return for his efforts. If there was no natural calamity like floods and cyclones he was sure the over-all position of crops would be good.

Replying to a correspondent on the question of giving more financial power to the National Assembly, the President said constitutional amendments should not be made under pressure but that these must be made for the good of the country. He said the proposed amendment should be mutually considered by the Government party as well as by the Opposition. He pointed out that the Leader of the House had made an offer to the Opposition to come forward and sit together and discuss this matter. The offer was still there, he said.

The President told a newsman he always loved to come to East Pakistan. In fact, the first two years he spent in this Wing soon after Independence were the happiest years of his life, he said. — Correspondent

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies in Dacca,] Mr Shamsud Doha, Central Minister for Agriculture and Works, today [Aug 21] discussed matters relating to the development of Ayub Nagar (Dacca), with the members of the Second Capital Committee.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2017