1971-05-03
By Malcolm W. Browne
Page: 3
Says Fighter Planes Twice Flew Over Territory
KARACHI.-Amid signs of a deterioration in the already hostile relations between India and Pakistan, Pakistan charged that Indian fighter planes had violated Pakistani air space today on two occasions.
The Pakistani radio reported that Indian aircraft had flown over the Rangpur district of East Pakistan in the morning and again at noon. The broadcast did not identify the type of aircraft allegedly involved.
It was the first time in the present crisis that Pakistan had charged that Indian planes had violated her air space.
In another development, it appeared that negotiations had been nearly completed for the repatriation of Pakistani diplomats from Calcutta in India and of Indian diplomats from Dacca in East Pakistan.
Pakistan's Deputy High Commission, or consulate, in Calcutta has been the center of a diplomatic war since the predominantly East Pakistani staff took it over on April is and transformed it into a mission of the newly- proclaimed provisional government of Bangla Desh-the Bengal Nation.
The Pakistani Government at Islamabad sent another official to take charge of the mission but the East Pakistanis continued to occupy it and Indian authorities declined to dislodge them.
Pakistani authorities in Dacca responded by placing Indian diplomats there under virtual house arrest and loyal Pakistani officials in Calcutta were similarly restrained by India.
During the last few days, the Soviet Union, which is friendly with both Pakistan and India, apparently has mediated certain aspects of the dispute. The Pakistani Government announced today that India had been asked to allow an Iranian plane to evacuate Pakistani diplomats from Calcutta and that the Soviet Union had been asked to provide air evacuation of Indian diplomats from Dacca.
The proposed exchange was apparently arranged by Moscow.