ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Bhutto has said it would be unrealistic to lift the state of emergency till the objectives for which it was imposed were achieved. He was explaining the reasons for the continuance of emergency in the country during … an interview with the ‘Teheran Journal’. In answer to a question, Mr Bhutto said that firstly the differences with Afghanistan had not yet been settled and “we are still in the process of resolving them”. Secondly the Kashmir dispute with India was still unresolved and, to make matters worse, the opposition was not happy at “our process of normalisation with India”. Thirdly, even if this process was completed, “we would have to watch the situation before we lift the emergency”.

“The purpose is to prevent anything that will go against the consolidation of national effort and … unity,”… . Fourthly, Mr Bhutto pointed out, it was only in 1971 that the country was dismembered. The aftermath was still there and the fall-out had not ended. Agents were still hanging around. Intrigues were still taking place and manipulations were going on. “We have broken the back of the insurgency, but all its germs have to be stamped out… .”

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2026