MOSCOW: Pakistan and the Soviet Union today [March 18] announced plans to resume normal commercial relations and to negotiate a new five-year trade agreement for the period up to 1975. This was stated in a joint communique issued at the end of the two-day visit to Moscow by President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The communique said: “It was deemed desirable to hold a regular exchange of views between the two Governments on questions of mutual interest.” The ... talks have also revealed, the communique said, identity or proximity of views between the Governments of the Soviet Union and Pakistan... .

The communique said: “In the course of talks, special attention was paid to the situation in the Sub-Continent of South Asia and other international problems. The President stated that he was prepared to help establish peaceful conditions in the Sub-Continent. In this connection, he attached great importance to the cessation of hostile propaganda against each other.” “Both sides favoured the adoption of measures aimed at restoring Soviet-Pakistan trade ... and other ties... .” — News agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by a staff correspondent in Karachi,] The Government of Sind yesterday [March 18] screened another 75 officials under MLR 114.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2022