PATTAN (Swat): Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto today [Dec 31] saw the destruction caused by last Saturday’s [Dec 28] earthquake in parts of Swat and Hazara districts in the Indus Valley and told the sufferers that the whole nation shared their woe and assured them that national resources would be mobilised to provide relief to them. The Prime Minister also made an appeal for international assistance for the relief of the earthquake victims. In doing so, he expressed the hope for a “positive response” from foreign countries.

[Meanwhile,] the year 1974 was not a good year for Pakistan … Mr Bhutto said … yesterday [Dec 31]. He told reporters on return from the earthquake-devastated areas in Swat district that during this year Pakistan suffered from Tarbela tragedy, oil crisis, drought and now this devastating earthquake. [PM] Bhutto said in any way the year has now only a few hours left and let us hope that the new year would be a good one for the country. In a lighter vein he asked the journalists if they were superstitious. The same question he put to [Sind CM] Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi who replied that he was superstitious to some extent.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2025