RAWALPINDI: Reiterating Pakistan’s desire for relations with India as co-equals on the basis of co-existence, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has said that there should be no difficulty in fruitful co-operation between the two countries, if India did not consider Pakistan’s progress … and achievements as inimical to her interests. In an interview in Rawalpindi with A. Rosenthal, Managing Editor of the “New York Times” recently, the Prime Minister said that India over-reacts to some positive developments in Pakistan.

“If a Pakistan Minister goes to Washington or to France … the Indians raise hell in their Parliament that Pakistan is rearming herself for revanchist purposes and India must … [add to] her military machine”. Such a tendency … generates mutual … suspicion. In contrast to this attitude … Pakistan does not over-react to Indian missions to the Soviet Union and the latter’s ‘massive military assistance’ to India, although India is ten times our size and has her own resources too. “Every time an Indian mission goes to [the USSR] we don’t … get nervous. …” The Prime Minister hoped that both India and Pakistan could settle down to a sober, normal relationship.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2024