RAWALPINDI: The Government … has taken strong exception to the statement made on behalf of the United Nations Secretary General U Thant on Aug 10 regarding the impending trial of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and has asked its Permanent Representative at the UN to lodge a strong protest… . In the protest Note the Government has stated categorically that it “cannot accept the proposition that any judicial decision on the individual case of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will have any repercussions unless Pakistan’s hostile neighbour India is encouraged to make them so”.

The statement made on behalf of the UN Secretary-General had asserted that “trial of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would inevitably have repercussions outside the borders of Pakistan” and that it was a “matter of extraordinary interest and concern in many quarters”. The Note regrets the statement and points out that it “exceeds both the bounds of humanitarian concern and the competence of the UN, as defined in the UN Charter”. — Newspaper’s staff correspondent

[Meanwhile, as reported by the staff correspondent in Karachi,] The three factions of the Muslim League have decided to summon meetings of their respective Councils to get a resolution passed … to delegate power to their Working Committee or the special committee of selected members with full powers in respect of merger of Leagues… .

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2021