STOCKHOLM: Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reiterated tonight [Feb 22] that the trainer aircraft Pakistan had purchased from Sweden were still being assembled and there was no question of these being used against the so-called guerrillas in Baluchistan. In an interview with State-run Swedish Television, he said it was the tribal insurrection and resistance to socio-economic reforms in Baluchistan that his Government was bold enough to have tackled, but not a guerrilla war or anything of that nature. Asked if the Swedish aircraft were being used in Baluchistan, the Prime Minister said it was totally incorrect and pointed out that the Swedish Government was aware of this fact. …

Questioned if there were any political prisoners in Pakistan, Mr Bhutto said there were some who had originally been in the Indian Congress Party and had opposed the creation of Pakistan. These people, he said, had become very active after the dismemberment of Pakistan, thinking that after one province’s secession from the country they could also reactivate themselves to their old game of being opposed to Pakistan. These people are anti-State and as such we do have them in prison. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2026