RAWALPINDI: Pakistan has not been consulted by the Soviet Union on the idea of “Asian security” arrangements mooted by the Soviet Communist Party chief, Mr I. Brezhnev, at the world conference of the Communist Parties held recently in Moscow, according to informed sources here [June 19].

It is difficult, according to these sources, to say that this idea was an extension of the Soviet Premier Mr Kosygin’s recent proposal for co-operation between Pakistan, India and Afgha­nistan. Mr Kosygin at his recent talks with the President, Gen Yahya Khan, in Rawalpindi, had expressed hopes for co-operation in the context of transit trade facilities and had made no reference to any kind of security arrangements for Asia. In the absence of any specific information from Moscow, it is difficult to get a comment from official quarters here on the idea mooted out by the Soviet Party chief. — Correspondent

[Meanwhile, as reported by an agency in Karachi,] The Deputy Chief Martial Law Adm­i­nistrator, Air Marshal Nur Khan, met in Karachi yesterday [June 19] labour leaders.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2019