Pakistan reports repelling attacks

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 15

Pakistan reports repelling attacks

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) RAWALPINDI, Nov. 28. Pakistan has reported that it repelled a fivepronged Indian attack into its Eastern wing and said that 1000 Indians had been killed in fighting over the last week.

India, meanwhile, said that there had been further border violations and shelling from Pakistan in the last few days, but no large-scale clashes had occurred on the sensitive West Pakistan frontiers.

Pakistan Radio said yesterday troops in East Pakistan threw back five Indian attacks —two in tlie Jessore area, two in the Belonia bulge in the Noakhali district and one in Akhaura in the Comilla district. The radio said that ■ the Jessore and Akhaura attacks were backed by Indian tanks and the others were supported by heavy mortars and artillery. It said that the Indians lost 43 dead and nearly 100 wounded for three

Pakistanis killed and 11 wounded.

A Pakistani military spokesman ■ in Rawalpindi gave total casualties for the last week as 1000 Indian and 30 Pakistan soldiers. The low figure for Pakistani casualties resulted from their defensive posture. The spokesman also said that there was evidence of intensive Indian reconnaissance and offensive preparations around the CommillaChittagong area, where 20 civilians died in shelling on Friday. An Indian spokesman in New Delhi said that Pakistani troops in the Western wing opened fire near the cease-fire line around Rajauri on Friday and cease-fire complaints have been lodged with United Nations observers over Pakistani construction of bunkers.

The Indian Prime Minister (Mrs Indira Gandhi) flew to Rajasthan near the western border yesterday and will visit border areas in the Punjab today. She is expected to tour eastern border areas next week. The Indian spokesman confirmed that Indian forces crossed into East Pakistan on Thursday—the second official admission of such action of self-defence in four days. And an Indian military spokesman in Boyra told an

N.Z.P.A.-Reuter correspondent, Ram Suresh, that troops crossed into the Eastern wing to help the guerrillas last Sunday and fought a major tank battle—a statement considered to be the first admission that India has given active field support to the Mukti Bahini movement. The Indians went in only after the rebels called for help, he said, but Pakistani tanks had shelled Indian Army positions beforehand.

He said that 76 Pakistanis were killed and their tank squadron was destroyed in the six-hour fight.

The Indian Government spokesman said even more refugees from East Pakistan have streamed into India since the latest fighting broke out, adding to the nearly 10 million who have arrived in the last eight months. An official Pakistani spokesman in Rawalpindi said that the Government had made approaches to the Soviet Union over continuing arms supplies to India. The spokesman, quoted by Pakistan radio, also said the Russians recently sent a message to President Yahya Khan, but he did not divulge its contents. Mrs Gandhi has sent a message to President Yahya calling on him to release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman immediately and take steps for a political settlement of the East Pakistan problem. An official spokesman said that the message was conveyed orally through India’s High Commissioner (Mr J. K. Atal) who returned to Islamabad this week after visiting New Delhi for consultations.

Mr Atal had brought a message to New Delhi from President Yahya, conveying greetings in connection with the Moslem religious ceremonies marking the end of Ramadan.

Commenting on Pakistani reports that Mrs Gandhi had spurned the greetings, the official spokesman said: “This is completely contrary to the facts.” But he said that while reciprocating the greetings, Mrs Gandhi had pointed out to President Yahya that the East Pakistan situation was placing an intolerable burden on India caused by the influx of refugees.