PESHAWAR: Maulana Mufti Mahmood, Secretary-General of Jamiatul Ulema-i-Islam has urged upon the leaders of all other political parties to exercise restraint and withhold criticism of other political leaders and parties. Mufti Mahmood in a statement observed that the “people in the country are very much preoccupied with more important problems than considering such issues as which party commands majority or who should form Government”.

He said the “strength of political parties can be judged only when the transfer of power in the provinces is decided upon”. The JUI leader, however, claimed that “in the NWFP no political party can form a Government without the support of Jamiatul Uelma-i-Islam. — Staff Correspondent

Return of DPs

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies in Islamabad,] The Pakistan Government is working out a proposal seeking India’s co-operation to facilitate the return and rehabilitation of displaced persons in East Pakistan. An Islamabad report says that the Pakistan proposal envisages a request to India to give facilities to Pakistani social workers to visit camps along the East Pakistan [border] to collect data, the number and particulars of persons wishing to return home and prepare the ground for their rehabilitation.

By drawing up a list at the camps of bona fide Pakistani citizens, the social workers will be able to save time at the receiving centres in East Pakistan and speed up the task of rehabilitating them. They will also be able to check upon the mounting reports that India is forcibly preventing the return of Pakistani citizens to their homes. Their very presence in the camps will reassure the intending returnees. …

Suez deadlock

[Agencies in Cairo add,] The UAR is reported to have offered to the United States new ideas for a breakthrough in the current Middle East deadlock. Foreign Ministry sources in Cairo say the ideas incorporate the number of UAR troops that cross to the east bank of the Suez Canal to positions to be vacated by the Israelis. Meanwhile, a UAR Government spokesman has described as without reality the areas of agreement between Israel and Arab states referred to by the American Secretary of State [William Rogers] in his news conference... .

... While the UAR is talking about complete liberation and the necessity of an Israeli withdrawal to international borders, and while UAR expressed willingness to agree to the reopening of the canal, Israel insisted on its expansionist plans. “[Mr Rogers] talked about partial reopening of the Canal which in fact would be an armistice agreement sought by Israel,” the spokesman said.

“While the UAR considers the opening of the waterway to be the first stage in the liberation of all the occupied Arab territories ... the Israelis are continuing their expansionist plans,” the spokesman added.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2021