BEIRUT: Arabs, the major oil producers of the world, gave a stern warning to Washington in a befitting reply to threats of military intervention and denial of food to M-E if the embargo on oil for US was not lifted. Mr Abdul Amir Kubbah, a spokesman for ... OPEC said in Vienna: “Any attempt to take over the Arab oilfields by force will lead to a world catastrophe and unspeakable human sufferings.” The Damascus Radio said: “The Arabs are ready to blow up their oil wells if the US uses force against them”.

Travellers from Saudi Arabia warned that Riyadh was “serious” about its “operation detonation” — blasting of its oilfields at a moment’s notice should the US or any other pro-Israel Power try to seize them by force. Algeria has already made it clear that “it will take only a few Arab guerrillas to set oilfields ablaze if the US resorts to military intervention.”

[Meanwhile, as reported by Our Staff Reporter,] Nawab Siddiq Ali Khan, a leader of the Pakistan movement, died of heart failure in Karachi yesterday [Jan 9]. He was 71. He was buried in the precincts of the Mosque of C.P. and Berar Cooperative Housing Society last evening. A large number of people attended the Namaz-i-Janaza.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2024