ISLAMABAD: The abolition of personal hereditary rule in Hunza, announced by Prime Minister Z.A. Bhutto, was only to give the people a participation in the administration of the Northern Areas and did not constitute merger of the territory with Pakistan, the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, States and Frontier Regions said. In a statement it said the substance of the speeches made by the Prime Minister during his tour of the Northern Areas had been inaccurately reported by some newspapers and these misinterpretations needed to be corrected. Noting that one Karachi daily had captioned one of these speeches “no possibility now to make Northern Areas Province”, it said the Pakistan Government’s policy under present conditions is one of adherence to a principle but otherwise it excludes no option.

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from London,] US President Gerald Ford may [call an] international conference to be attended by all nations of the world, the [BBC] reported today [Sept 29]. Important talks on economic matters are, meanwhile, being held in Washington. British, French, Japanese and West German Finance Ministers have held talks with the US Secretary of State.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2024