House of Commons
DOUGLAS-MANN (Kensington, North, Lab.) called attention to the situation in East Bengal and moved a motion expressing concern about the situation there and urging the British Government to use their influence to end the strife, bring relief to the area, and obtain a political settlement which respected the democratic rights of the people of Pakistan,

He said it was clear that the hatred of the Punjabis generated in the past few weeks among the people of East Pakistan, who were overwhelmingly Bengali, was so intense and deep that it was impossible that Pakistan could ever be one country again.

A long and tragic war could be prevented by the use of economic sanctions. Britain should suspend all aid while West Pakistan was fighting a war of this kind against East Bengal.

MR. WOOD, Minister for Overseas Development (Bridlington, C.) said they must do all they could to alleviate the distress and bring about economic and political stability in East Pakistan. He had met President Yahya Khan and was convinced of his sincerity in his desire to establish a civilian democratic government.

Shaikh Mujibur Rahman was in custody in West Pakistan and was likely to be brought to trial. The British Government had no confirmation of reports that he had been flown back to East Pakistan.

The Government were anxious to resume development aid to Pakistan when it could be resumed.

My own view (he said) is that although aid may play a part in a general solution of the problem I profoundly disagree that it can be used as a lever to enforce a particular solution which observers here, thousands of miles from Dacca and Islamabad, with knowledge that must be incomplete, may wrongly think will contribute to peace.

It remained the Government's view that a political solution in East Pakistan was necessary and that this must be a matter for the Pakistan Government and people to achieve. The Prime Minister had been in touch with the President on a personal and confidential basis asking him to work towards such a settlement. The President intended to do so.

SIR FREDERIC BENNETT (Torquay, C.) said the impoverished and stricken East Pakistan as a separate nation state could have repercussions far outside its borders. They could think of the countries which would take advantage of the situation, and India would be one of the losers from the security point of view.

MR. HEALEY (Leeds, East, Lab.) said there was a risk of widespread famine affecting 75 million people with accompanying disease.

The Government should not send arms to Pakistan until they were satisfied the present tragedy was moving towards a solution.

He hoped that the Pakistan Government would not put Shaikh Mujibur Rahman on trial. It would be far better to release him and invite him to accept responsibility for helping to solve the problem.

If there was no rapid and early movement towards a stabilization of the situation, based on a political settlement in conformity with the wishes of the people, there was a risk of further clashes and if the situation got worse, there was not just the risk of India and Pakistan becoming involved. Russia and China had already taken sides, in favour of India and Pakistan respectively, and there would be a threat to the stability of the whole of southern Asia.

MR. STONEHOUSE (Wednesbury, Lab.) said the situation pointed towards the Bangla Desh regime achieving independence. It might take months or even some years, but it was impossible for West Pakistan to continue to impose its rule over a country more than 1,000 miles away with a population of more than 75 million, almost all of whom were opposed to it.

MR, WOOD said the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary had reviewed the question of arms supplies. There had been no significant arms dealings with Pakistan since 1967, and the Foreign Secretary was satisfied that he should not change the policy.
The motion was agreed to.
House adjourned, 4.10 p.m.