LARKANA: The Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr Riad Al-Khatib, called on Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at his Al-Murtaza residence here this evening [Jan 8] and presented to him a cheque for ten million US dollars as donation from King Faisal for the earthquake victims of Pakistan. Accepting the cheque, Prime Minister Bhutto expressed “warmest appreciation” on behalf of the people and Government of Pakistan and on his own behalf on the generous Saudi donation. This donation, he added, would help the Pakistan Government in rehabilitating the victims of the earthquake. Prime Minister Bhutto assured that every penny of this amount and other contributions coming in would be spent to bring back “good, modern and progressive life” to the people of the affected areas and if there is anything in surplus it will be spent in the NWFP where this tragedy has taken place.

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from Saigon,] an American aircraft-carrier and other ships are heading for South Vietnamese coastal waters, military sources said today. The sources said the nuclear-powered Enterprise would not necessarily reinvolve the United States in the Vietnam conflict, “but it will be needed.”

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2025