There was no issue of the newspaper on Nov 21, 1971, on account of the Id-ul-Fitr holiday. The following excerpt has been taken from the previous day’s issue.

RAWALPINDI: The President, Gen A.M. Yahya Khan, has once again offered the “hand of friendship to India”, inviting her “to grasp it and let us begin a new era of good neighbourly relations”. In his Id day message the President has re-emphasised that “armed conflicts do not solve any problems”. Therefore, he said, “while we remain prepared to defend our honour and our territorial integrity at any cost, we stand for peace and friendship with all countries of the world, including all our neighbours”.

The President, also wished to send “on this sacred occasion a special message of greetings, hope and cheer to our brothers who left their hearts and homes in East Pakistan in a moment of fear and panic.” He reiterated … his call to them to “return home and to rejoin their families”.

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies at the United Nations,] Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, said … that the East Pakistani displaced persons in India needed massive aid. … “Promotion of their voluntary repatriation was the only way this gigantic problem can … be resolved,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2021