QUETTA: Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has stressed the need for doing away with reactionary sardari and zamindari systems which have been instrumental in exploiting the people of Baluchistan through the ages. “We want people’s will to prevail and preserve democratic principles,” he declared in a recorded message from the Quetta Centre of Pakistan Television Corporation soon after it was inaugurated by Federal Education and Provincial Coordination Minister Abdul Hafeez Pirzada today [Nov 26]. Mr Bhutto said the situation in Baluchistan was related to a system and mental attitude which requi­red a revolution to put an end to the reactionary feudal system. … The Prime Minister, while referring to the role assigned to Pakis­tan Television … said a revolution in people’s attitude could not be brought about without the effective use of radio and television. —

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from New Delhi,] Official-level talks on re­­sumption of trade and commercial exchanges between Pakistan and India began in New Delhi today [Nov 26]. According to All India Radio, today’s talks which were held in “a very cordial” atmosphere, were of a preliminary nature. … [Pakistan Commerce Secre­tary Ejaz Ahmed Naik] said Pakistan had no inhibition in restoring trade ties with India “if it was on a mutually profitable basis”.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2024