Civil war raged in the eastern region of Pakistan last night after the provincial leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had proclaimed the region an independent republic. President Yahya Khan outlawed the Sheikh’s Awami League and denounced the Sheikh himself as a traitor whose crime “would not go unpunished.”

Political activity throughout Pakistan has been banned and total censorship has been imposed. Official communications between East Pakistan and the rest of the world have been cut. The only news about the day’s dramatic developments came in a clandestine radio bulletin broadcast from Dacca and from reports by travelers crossing into India.

The Press Trust of India quoting reports from the East Pakistan-India border, said that Dacca, the capital of the eastern wing, had become a “battle-field”. It also quoted Sheikh Mujibur’s claim that West Pakistan troops had been surrounded by East Pakistan troops and police in six cities.

PRESIDENT SAYS TRAITORS MUST BE PUNISHED

Delhi, March 26. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman tonight proclaimed East Pakistan the Sovereign Independent Republic of Bangladesh, according to a clandestine radio report monitored near the East Pakistan border. The Press Trust of India (P.T.I.) published the report which was monitored at Agartala, in the Indian territory of Tripura, about 56 miles east of Dacca. P.T.I. said that the broadcast was not made by the Sheikh himself but by an unidentified announcer.

The broadcast said that troops of the East Bengal Regiment, the East Pakistan Rifles, and the “entire police force” had surrounded West Pakistan troops in Chittagong, Comilla, Sylhet, Jessore, Barisal and Khulna, and that heavy fighting was continuing. It added that West Pakistan forces were hunting for Sheikh Mujibur, who was said to have gone underground after the fighting began.

The broadcast called upon the people of “free Bangladesh” to continue their movement for independence “until the last enemy soldier has vanished.” It said that the Sheikh was “the only leader of the people of independent Bangladesh,” and his command should be obeyed to save the country from “the ruthless dictatorship of West Pakistan".

President Yahya Khan said in a nationwide broadcast tonight that the Sheikh’s Awami League, which won an overwhelming majority of seats in East Pakistan in the elections for the National Assembly in December, would be completely banned. He said that the Sheikh had flouted the authority of the Government and attacked the integrity of Pakistan. “This crime will not go unpunished,” he said. He described the Sheikh’s action in starting his non-cooperation movement as “an act of treason. He and his party have defied the lawful authority for over three weeks. They have insulted Pakistan’s flag and defiled photographs of the father of the nation. They have tried to run a parallel Government. They have created turmoil, terror and insecurity.”

His voice rising with anger, President Yahya declared that he could not allow “power hungry despots” to destroy the country and play with the destinies of 120 million people. On his recent talks in Dacca with the Sheikh, he said: “His obstinacy, his obduracy and absolute refusal to talk sense lead to only one conclusion - the man and his party are enemies of Pakistan. They want East Pakistan to break away completely from Pakistan.” He assured Pakistanis that his aim remained the same - “namely, the transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people. As soon as the situation permits, I will take fresh steps towards the achievement of this objective.”

Meanwhile, he said, all political activity throughout Pakistan would be banned, there would be a complete censorship of the press and a curfew would be imposed on Dacca and all other cities of East Pakistan. The Press Trust of India, quoting clandestine radio reports from East Pakistan, spoke of heavy casualties in the fighting between East and West Pakistan armed forces and severe fighting was said to be taking place in Dacca and several other parts of the eastern region.

Reports in Calcutta said that at least 10,000 West Pakistan troops had landed at East Pakistan ports, bringing the total now in the provinces to about 70,000. The reports said that the West Pakistan troops had arrested several hundred people and had taken up positions in strategic areas.

[The State Department in Washington said that Americans reaching the United States Consulate in East Pakistan had reported that West Pakistan Army troops and tanks had spread through Dacca and “extensive firing, including the use of tanks” was under way.]

The worsening in the Pakistan crisis began yesterday with reports that at least 35 people had been killed and more than 100 injured when troops machine-gunned large crowds in the Rangpur and Chittagong districts on Wednesday. Sheikh Mujibur had called for a general strike tomorrow in protest against the shootings. He called on the President to halt all Army operations immediately.

President Yahya Khan had flown to Dacca from West Pakistan for protracted talks with the Sheikh in an effort to solve the crisis “which was threatening to tear Pakistan apart.” They had been joined by Mr. Bhutto, the West Pakistan political leader, whose left-wing People’s Party won a majority of seats in the western province in the National Assembly elections in December.

Violence had also flared yesterday in West Pakistan, where a 10-hour curfew was clamped on the Punjab industrial town Lyallpur after a day of clashes between left-wing demonstrators and police. At least 30 police were reported seriously injured in the textile centre about 80 miles from Lahore. The clashes began when the People’s Guards, the militant wing of Mr. Bhutto’s party, defied an official ban and marched through the streets.

Reuter, UPI and AP



Our Diplomatic Correspondent writes: There has been no reports of casualties among the British community in East Pakistan, or of damage to British property. There are believed to be about 600 British subjects in the eastern wing, mostly in Dacca.



London demonstration: A policeman was injured and eight people were arrested last night after some 300 shouting Pakistani students hurled stones and other missiles at the Pakistani High Commission in Lowndes Square, Belgravia.

Shaikh Mujibur profile page 12
Leading article, page 13