QUETTA: Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has unequivocally declared that Pakistan would not allow any foreign interference in its internal affairs and said that if any country did so, Pakistan would break relations with it. He was speaking to Ambassadors and Heads of Chanceries at a luncheon, given by the Khan of Kalat, during their visit to Kalat today [April 28].

The Prime Minister said that so far as Pakistan’s foreign affairs were concerned “we are happy that we have now attained a degree of satisfaction in our relations with all the countries, with major Powers, Great Powers, with our neighbours, with our friends and above all in the Sub-continent. …”

Pakistan … had made many sacrifices for this sovereignty … and … it would be preserved with our blood. Tracing the history of Pakistan and its problems he said that the problem of Baluchistan was a challenge. He called for breaking the shackles of feudalism to bring in social reforms in the Province. He said that the quantum of autonomy had been adequately guaranteed in the … Constitution. The question … had been democratically settled by all the four Provinces and by the leaders and parties of all the federating units.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2024