U.K. National Archives

Conclusions of a meeting of the Cabinet held at 10 Downing Street, on Thursday, 18 March, 1971 at 11 a.m
Attendees: E Heath; A Douglas-Home; A Barber; Carrington; G Rippon; M Thatcher; Jellicoe; P Thomas; Hailsham; W Whitelaw; K Joseph; R Carr; G Campbell; P Walker; J Prior; J Davies; F Corfield; F Pym; M Macmillan; P Rawlinson.
Text: The foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said that the constitutional deadlock between the East and West Wings of Pakistan persisted. President Yahya Khan had flown to Dacca in an attempt to promote a compromise between the Central Government and the Awami League who were in effective control of the East Wing. It was doubtful whether, if this attempt failed, the control of the Central Government could be reasserted by deployment of the army. Some 250 members of the British community in East Pakistan had now been evacuated; it was not proposed to attempt to withdraw any more for the time being.