RAWALPINDI: Mr Yasser Arafat has accepted Prime Minister Bhutto’s invitation for participation in the … Islamic Summit in Lahore this month, according to a message received here today [Feb 10]. The invitation was delivered personally by Dr S.M. Kureshi, Pakistan’s Ambassador in Lebanon, at the headquarters of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. Mr Yasser Arafat asked the Ambassador to convey his warm greetings to Prime Minister Bhutto and said that Premier Bhutto’s invitation was most precious … and that he was eagerly looking forward to his visit to Pakistan and to meet Premier Bhutto.

Prime Minister Bhutto in his letter … had extended “most cordial invitation” on behalf of the people of Pakistan and himself to be our honoured guest and added that it would be a great pleasure to welcome [Mr Arafat] to Pakistan and to have “benefit of counsel of such valiant and indomitable fighter against Zionist perfidy towards our Palestinian brethren”. The … letter stressed: “The people of Pakistan are eagerly looking forward to this historical assembly and particularly to your participation in its deliberations. They place highest value on your presence.”

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2024