There was no issue of the newspaper on Aug 21, 1968 on account of the death of Maulana Akram Khan. The following extract is from the previous day’s issue.

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Minister, Mian Arshad Husain, said today [Aug 19] that the rumours, which had been in circulation some time back within the country and abroad that strains had developed in Pakistan-China relations were scotched by his recent visit to People’s Republic of China.

He was speaking at a largely attended reception given in his honour by the Chinese Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy to mark the “successful visit” to China of the Pakistani Foreign Minister.

Mr Arshad Husain said that the Chinese leaders referred to these rumours during their “frank and intimate talks” with him and affirmed that they paid no heed to them. “One of the results of our visit is that these rumours have been put to eternal sleep,” he added.

The Foreign Minister expressed the hope that they would not be revived again because “our friendship is based on principles and not expediency”.

Mian Arshad Husain returned here on Aug 11 after a week-long visit to China. He reached Dacca on Aug 10 from Shanghai. — Agency

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2018