RAWALPINDI: The central Government today [Dec 22] ordered impounding of passports of the 22 families, known to be the richest in Pakistan, the passports of their relations and dependents will also be impounded. The order is said to be in continuation of yesterday’s order banning all travel abroad except those of officials and students which … was intended to “check the flight of capital and of the rich who wished to escape public accountability”. — Staff correspondent

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from Islamabad,] a Foreign Office spokesman has described the Security Council resolution as “weak and inadequate” and said that it was only vacation of aggression by India in East Pakistan and in all other areas of conflict, including the recognised positions along the cease-fire line as in 1965 in Jammu and Kashmir, that will restore peace and stability in the subcontinent.

He said: “The Security Council has taken weeks to deal with the situation which involved the territorial integrity of a member nation. It dallied while thousands of people dies. Prompt action on its part would have also spared the bloodshed now going on in East Pakistan”. The spokesman added: “The resolution it has now passed is weak and inadequate. …”.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2021