June 21, 1971

Delegates of western industrial powers and Japan today postponed discussion of fresh aid for Pakistan until a political settlement of the conflict between East and West Pakistan is in sight. They represented the 11 nations to the aid to Pakistan consortium and had intended to arrange a date for a meeting with Pakistan government officials for talks on future help. But a delegate said they chose to "wait and see" what political settlement Pakistan President Yahya Khan has to offer before they pledge further aid.

"We just do not know when our next meeting will be," he added.

The consortium heard a report by Peter Cargill, South Asia director of the World Bank who had just visited both parts of Pakistan for talks with the country's economic and political leaders.  Cargill denied press reports that he had recommended £210 million emergency aid to Pakistan.  Pakistan received £158 million from the western countries and Japan in 1970 to assist her current five-year economic plan.

However, the donor countries agreed to help India, who received £360 million in 1970. Cargill recommended that about £41.7 million be given as food.

About 120 Bangalees from London and Birmingham with placards reading "Foreign aid for Pakistan means genocide for Bangladesh" demonstrated outside the World Bank's office as the consortium's delegates gathered here. Police later herded them into a side street.

"Pakistan is bankrupt," one of the demonstrators said. "Its rulers can only continue their brutal war of oppression against the people of Bangladesh if their economy is propped up with foreign economic aid and loans."

US MILITARY GOODS SENT TO PAKISTAN DESPITE BAN

A freighter flying the flag of Pakistan was preparing today to sail from New York for Karachi with a cargo of United States military equipment for Pakistan, apparently in violation of the administration's officially proclaimed ban on such shipments.

Senior state department officials, in response to inquiries, acknowledged that at least one other ship was now on the way from the United States to Pakistan carrying what they described as "foreign military sales" items.

These items, they indicated, came from excess Defense Department stocks and apparently were shipped as a result of confusion within the Administration as to how the three-month-old ban on shipments of military equipment to Pakistan should be applied.

FOUR RAJSHAHI UNIVERSITY SCHOLARS SHOT DEAD

Four eminent scientists and scholars of Rajshahi University were shot dead by Pakistani troops a few days ago after they reported for duty on an assurance of personal safety. Those killed are Dr Raquib, head of the Department of Applied Physics, Dr Saleh Ahmed, reader in statistics, Professor Habibur Rahman, reader in mathematics and Dr Abdul Haque, reader in law. The head of the Department of Bangla of the university Dr Mazharul Islam described in Kolkata on June 17, 1971 that in the last week of May, the university authority issued an appeal to all professors to rejoin duly, assuring them personal security. When the four professors returned to the campus from their hiding they were rounded up by troops at night, taken to the cantonment and shot dead, he added.

Shamsuddoza Sajen is a journalist and researcher. He can be contacted at sajen1986@gmail.com