Cease-Fire Reported In Rann Of Kutch

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30741, 4 May 1965, Page 17

Cease-Fire Reported In Rann Of Kutch

(N.Z.P-A.- Reuter— Copyright) NEW DELHI, May 3. Diplomatic sources in New Delhi said today that a “de facto” cease-fire for one week had been arranged between the Indian and Pakistani forces in the disputed salt-marsh border area of the Rann of Kutch.

But a special correspondent of the news agency, the Press Trust of India, reported from the Rann of Kutch today that there had been renewed shelling by the Pakistanis for a short while this morning.

In the Council of States (Indian upper house of parliament), Mr Lal Bahadur Shastri, the Prime. Minister, said today that Mr Harold Wilson, the British Prime Minister, was still pursuing his efforts for a cease-fire in the Rann of Kutch. He assured the House that he had insisted and would continue to insist on the restoration of the status quo (the return of troops to their original positions) along with any cease-fire. Mr Shastri said that, dur-

Ing the last two or three days, there had been no major engagement in the Rann of Kutch. and the Pakistani forces “have not been able to make any more Inroads on our territory.’’ Mr Shastri said that, dur-

ing the fighting in the Rann of Kutch. the Pakistanis had suffered heavy losses. He described the Pakistani action as aggression and said: "It fits into the pattern of Pakistain’s aggressive behaviour during the last two months."