fx
World aid asked in Pakistani POW release
By Altaf Malik
Altaf Malik is a student from
Pakistan majoring in mechanical
engineering.
Dear mankind, is man kind?
Thousands of bewildered children ask
this question as they endlessly wait for
their fathers to return home from
captivity. Thousands of heart-broken
wives spnd sleepless nights not
knowing whether their husbands are
alive or dead. The same story is
reflected in millions of anxious eyes
throughout Pakistan.
A tale of sorrow; a tale of misery; a
tale of human tragedy and endurance.
This summer during my visit home I
got a close-up view of what, so far, I
had only heard of or read through the
news medi.3.
More than eighteen months have
passed since the ceasefire in the latest
war between India and Pakistan. In
spite of this, there are still over 90,000
Pakistani POWs languishing in Indian
prison camps, where they are being
detained in blatant violation of the
Geneva Convention.
The United Nations has tried, the
Internatioral Red Cross has tried and
most peace-loving nations of the world
have tried to put an end to this
atrocity, with little or no results.
India claims that it can take no
action until given the go-ahead from
Dacca authorities. If that is so, the
bulk of the blame shifts from the
Indian to the Bengali leaders.
Bengalis, on the other hand, claim
that they have offered to release all
the POWs except 195 whom they want
to hold buck and try for war crime
charges. Pakistan is, by now, well
aware of these baseless offers.
Bangladesh is using a handful of men
as an excuse to create what is possibly
one of the most tragic political
stalemates the world has ever
witnessed .
The present government of
Sheldon Film
Theater
Presents
Charlie Chaplin
In
iEWUE
a selection of
three previously
unavailable shorts
Sept. 13th 3, 7, & 9
Sept. 1 4th 7 & 9
thursday, sr-ptcmher 13, 1973
guess
Pakistan, which was not the one
directly involved with the war and its
immediate aftermath, has a moral
obligation to bring home every POW.
Even if at all these men are guilty
of whatever they are charged with,
there are some important factors to be
considered here.
For one thing, no matter what they
f'ut
f.r. ;
(!,.;lv
mm m w m mmmsm im ,:
mom: ner 'm. .wl. zm -jg?.m.r:!kig,j gaswL.
Mm1 1111 " -1 '" -...y. ....-j
, I 1
! !
&l TV
"'''lit
I 4 ' If l '
t I I, ? t i V
I ' v r
1 I '
' ft
opinion
h.iv! nllegedly done, they have more
tkin paid for it already. At least fifty
h;ive been niui'leied in cold blood by
tin1 prison guaids. The handful of
exti finely sick and badly wounded
HUW', wIid v.'en; lecently allowed to
i"l'iin ,iftet ft. .in tic pleas from all over
rlie '.vol Id teel ilie qi uesome itory by
thee id y m c ; ; 1 1 '.ippeai ance.
r I. WW"
they
" I, H
..' , ".'1 '
f . It -'Si.'l : '4,. W.i. j X" 4k. I; 1 ...
s t. i vTr ."v s win
frit
ECTROWIC BRAIN-S4905!!
if
li I I'm
i t'ii C'Vtwi WitS'W jm.mI j'"
if r 1 1 t 1 1 i i j ' 1 1 . r i
I 1 l . frr,muf' V'MKmnrw mumm . fawwye
I p!s((jrr'' i.jrwi';' INmwS
Seccondly, if there are any
court-martial procedures to be
undertaken, Pakistan reserves the right
to carry them out at home.
A most significant fact which
Bangladesh conveniently overlooks is
that any of the so-called warcrimes in
these men's past were not without
counter-action from the Bengali
terrorists.
Through the camera, American
publications like Time and Newsweek
are witness to the bayoneting of
Urdu-speaking civi'ians in the streets.
Who is going to try these criminals?
At first it was claimed that the
awaiting of Pakistan's recognition of
Bangladesh was the only obstacle to
lasting peace in one of the world's
most troubled spots.
It should be noted that Pakistan's
National Assembly has given the
President (now the Prime Minister)
complete power to recognize
Bangladesh whenever conditions
permit.
The good and peaceful intentions
of the Pakistani government were most
clearly obvious when it carried out the
unconditional release of Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh's most
powerful leader, who was a political
prisoner in Pakistan awaiting trial
under charges of conspiracy against
the state.
These same peaceful intentions are
again reflected in Pakistan's policy of
repatriation without reciprocity which
it has been following in the systematic
return of hundreds of thousands of
Bengalis who were in Pakistan during
the time of the separation.
Very briefly, that is the challenge
to the world conscience. We ask for
the help of every peace-loving nation
and individual-not as an appeal for
charity, but as our basic human right.
Help preserve our right by
accepting this challenge. That is the
only sure answer and the most
beautiful expression of mankind. J
ciesigiicd to encircle a simple engagement solitaire
will not only set off the ring beautifully - but
lend a touch of drairi and elegance.
Serving Lincoln Since I W5
I 129 "(V STKM.'I & CJAU WAY MALI
RoQif tered Jewlert Amorican Gorn Society
One of the world's smallest Electronic
Calculators. The Commodore has giant
sied capabilities - features you'd ex
pect only in a large desk top unit:
Adds: Subtracts; Multiplies; Divides
8-Di(jit lighted Display
Automatic Floating Decimal
Constant Memory f actor
Shows True Credit Balance
Clear Entry Key Erases Last Entry In
Case of Mistake
Fully Depressed Keyboard For finger
Use
Easy to Read Digital Readout
6 Month FREE Replacement Warranty
Against Manufacturer's Defects
Comes Complete With Batteries
TRY IT rOR 2 WCtKS FREEH
Plena ihip me ... Commodorr
ilmw many?)
MinuKman 3 Cdlcul.itm(M at Wi 15 plus i2 pott
syc f.ich II not utislird I can letuin it within
two wi'pk for I Ul I (c'uiid
HAIso send AC adapter oi 13 95
Check or Monry Older fnclo'.cd
IMIinois residents add 5 sales tan)
1 ChaniP to my credit cjrd rheclied below:
1 American f ipress ("1 BankAmcricard
Master Charge (j Diner's Club
Credit Card
tp. Date ..
Master Charge Codn H
N n e
-(4 digits)
Address.
City
State -
.29-
Siynalnic.-
Contemporary Marketing, Inc.
II. G0106 Phone: 312-695 0401
f)ayc 5