ISLAMABAD: Pakistan would continue to press for its entitlement of arms aid from the United States under Pakistan-US Treaty of 1959, the Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs, Mr Aziz Ahmed, said in the Senate today [Nov 28]. Making a statement on an adjournment motion, he pointed out that diplomacy was a continuous process and hoped that the U.S. Government would take a favourable decision in future. Khawaja Mohammad Safdar (CML) in his motion stated that the failure of Pakistan Govern­ment to persuade the [US] Government to lift the arms embargo in negotiations with American Secretary of State Henry Kissinger recently had dismayed the people of Pakistan. Mr. Aziz Ahmed said Pakistan Government had performed its duty by presenting its case at the talks in strong and cogent terms. — News agencies

[Meanwhile,] Begum Nusrat Bhutto yesterday [Nov 28] exhorted the people to wage crusade against population explosion, saying “our future economic and social progress hinges substantially on our ability to cope effectively with this problem”. … She said the country’s socio-economic conditions were characterised by poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and ill health.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2024