Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had resigned from President Ayub Khan’s cabinet in June 1966 after developing sharp differences with the first military dictator who had discovered him from Larkana, Sindh and brought him in limelight as the youngesat Foreign Minister of Pakistan.
After resignation, Bhutto travelled across the country addressing big gatherings and arrived in Lahore to a biog reception at Lahore Railway Station on June 21,1967. He had visited East Pakistan after Awami League chief Sh Mujibur Rahman was arrested and addressed a press conference on his return from there in Hotel Pearl Continental Lahore on the date, possibly in October 1967, which was covered by this scribe as a reporter of PPI news agency and was sitting on the left of Mr Bhutto, prior to the launching of his own political party, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Lahore on November 30, 1967.
He talked on the basis of fourtyped pages which at the end he gave this scribe on a request and being told as to which news agency I was representing.
Accordingly ,what Mr Bhutto said in his press conference is being reproduced here as this may still be of some interest to many aroud and may help clearing some questions in many minds even after some decades.
“I had been to East Pakistan recently. In Dacca, I held a number of meetings with Maulana (Abdul Hameed) Bhashani, Manek Mian and Attaur Rehman. Also met trade union leaders and other people. It is my impression that political situation is deteriorating in the province rapidly. There is frustration, general apathy, gowing misunderstanding, sense of suffocation and feeling despair among the people. These are not good signs. This is for all of us to take into account this basic reality and the causes of discontent.
If one takes the situation into account he will find out that the right to express to articulate public opinion, to go to the people to explain the problems affecting them and the solution of these problems is getting difficult. Political platform is shrinking . There is Section 144 everywhere. There are restrictions on the press which is deliberately indulging in distortion, unnecessarily confusing public opinion.
There is no outlet for political problems and growing political difficulty. Add to this the situation the growing deterioration in general administration. If everything operates behind curtain, maladministration will grow and get wider and only byproduct will be corruption.
Corruption is honeymooning in Pakistan. Add to that thedeterioration of economic situation.The regime has been boosting that economic miracles have taken place and Pakistan has becond second to Japan. The per capita income has increased. But this is not true. The reality is otherwise. Country is facing economic crisis. Prices are rising, commodities are not available. Agricultural situation is far from happy. We have been hearing a lot of talk about Mexipak and break through. This is just an ideal talk. As for industrialization it has been claimed that the country would attain self- suffiency and would be able to replay loans. But that is not the position. The bill for the import of raw materials is increasing.
Jute: Jute is basic economy of East Pakistan. The price of the commodity is falling. The farmer will naturally shift to the growing of other commodities. That would affect foreign exchange earnings and the economy.
Drain on foreign exchange is increasing. Repayment of loans becoming difficult. More foreign exchange is needed to be spent on defence and import of defence requirements call for a great deal of expenditure.
What is then the role of political parties, because the challenge is great. The economic crisis is the basic crisis as it hits hard the people.
Certain developments are taking place in various parties. There are growing changes and these are producing crystalization and evolution. There are internal differences within the parties because the people have become more conscious and they follow principles and not personalities. They have now attachment to the principles through which they conduct political approach. In this process political parties are getting shape. I regard it a development. It is not setback but a sign of progress. Once crystalization takes place coalition of political parties will follow.
On the 16th of September this year an announcement of a party was made by me in Hyderabad. I had to discuss with political leaders my outlook. It would have been easier for me to join one party. But my observation stetching over one year have been it would be better to a hard and long road. I am not unaware of pitfalls and difficulties. Such difficulties do exist in any other countries . I may fail but my principles may not fail. I am not thinking of today and of tomorrow but thinking of furture of the country which I served and love passionately and future of our children. So the difficulties do not deter me.
I think socialism is our heritage. What I mean is socialism is in consonance with our ideolgy and culture.
I hope by the end of November I will be able to hold a meeting of friends from both wings of the country and to announce the name of my party and the general principles of the party. These principles will be given to an ad hoc committee and then proceed throughout the coutry to get more and more workers associated.
We are prepared to collaborate with the parties with whom there is an area of understanding and agreement. The main purpose of the opposition is not to hit others but to project their legitimate differences and in that context there is room for all parties to have some cooperation and understanding.
The Government should release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who has been in jail for the last one and a half years. Many developments had taken place since then even there has been changes within his own party. Surely he must not be unaware of these developments and he must or reassess iin politics there is room for an honourable compromise which can come through negotiations and not in carcaration.
I refuse to assume that men like Mujibur Rahman who have made definite contribution to the establishment of Pakistan is a cessionist. I must say that my purpose is unity and solidarity of the country. There are some points in his six points programme which are not acceptable. But let us have an exchange of views and that can be possible when he is out of jail. Someone has to call a halt to present trends which are dangerous and which are multiplyng.
The futire will tell whether I had a part to play in imposing restrictions on the press. This will be know whether I was one guillotined the press. I was the member of the Government for eight years and I must take the good and the bad.
Industry: I have always said this is free loot for all who who would hold. I have always said agriculture is the basic industry. We should have industries that should create industry. We must have right priorities. Agriculture comes first and the heavy industries next. The present system is the peculiar brand of capitalism. I stand for nationalisation of banks, insurance companies and heavy industries.
Socialism: I mean the socialism the people want. We do not want communists pattern of regimentation. We have our own socialism, our culture and religion is Islamic socialism and that would be our aspiration.
Constitution: I had positive views on constitutional matters. The constitutional problems can be decided by the people. The difficulty is that the constitution has been arbitrarily imposed. I believe that the leaders should meet and discuss the matters and I would be prepared to if as a result og this discussion and consensus a new constitution emerged or an amendment in the present constitution is made.
I want fundamental rights and above all adult franchise. Once you had this other things will follow. The elections to the National and Provincial Assemblies on adult franchise is basic thing. We believe in peaceful transfer of power.
New and young blood will be in the vanguard of my movement. Country requires vigorous leadership which is capable of injecting new blood in the body politics. I would not be a party to midguide the students. My party would restore full autonomy of universities and create atmosphere for the attainment of knowledge.
We would seek alliance with other parties on the basis of agreed principles. There is crying need to go to the people.
INDIA: Riots are taking place at Ranchi. The Muslims are being butchered. There is mobilization in the Rann of Kutch. The new reign of terror has been let loose in Kashmir. In this context, it is therefore deplorable that the Chief of (Army )Staff of India should visit Pakistan. I believe that this would lead us in difficulties. They are mistaken if they believe that small compromise can reduce tension.
Our poilicy with India that can lead to solution of our problems should be confrontation and not capitulation. I would wait for future rather than to have a bad solution today.
The following should be taken into consideration-First self-determination is uncompoundable. Even on Berubari they did not implement agreement. On Farrakha Barrage they did not take any step.
They say peace lies in India’s hands and it means India is going to dictate, and dictation means abject surrender. There is always ill-will between India and Pakistan. What is needed is the mobilisation of the people and the public opinion. The people must be told who are your enemies and what are your problems. Once you stand by principles a larger country cannot throw its weight on you. Once you can mobilise the people you can stand that pressure.”
