ISTANBUL: President Yahya Khan, currently visiting Turkey, today [May 3] went on an hour-long cruise to the Bosphorus to have a view of this city of unrivalled beauty from a special boat. The President was accompanied by the Turkish Foreign Minister and other top-ranking civil and military officials. … The President sat in a glass cabin of the boat, admiring the elegant palaces and green terraces along the banks.

After the cruise, the President lunched at Istanbul’s posh Abdullah Restaurant, overlooking the blue waters of the Bosphorus. He looked relaxed and chatted with the journalists accompanying him. He told newsmen that there were many beautiful places in Pakistan where such restaurants could be built. In this respect, he specially mentioned Kaptai in East Pakistan.

[Meanwhile, in an interview with a German newspaper, the President said,] “When I look back, we sometimes had unbearable conditions during 1968 and 1969. The economic rise of a small class aroused aspirations in the masses, which could not be fulfilled in a short time. The students grew restless and demonstrations took place. In East Pakistan the disappointment was expressed vehemently. Therefore, the army was called out, which finally took over. ... Martial law had a very good effect.”

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2020