27091965 Text of the speech made by Mr. Bhutto (Pakistan) in the Security Council meeting No. 1245 held on 27 September, 1965.
27091965 Text of the speech made by Mr. Bhutto (Pakistan) in the Security Council meeting No. 1245 held on 27 September, 1965.
It was not my intention to take part in this debate. In response to the President's statement that he had had prolonged discussions with his colleagues, leading up to the resolution asking the parties to co-operate and to implement in full resolution 211 (1965), I had expected to refrain from making any statement. However, in view of the charges made by the representative of India, it becomes necessary for me to take the time of the Council.
I am deeply grateful to you, Mr. President, for the concern that you have shown in calling for an urgent meeting of the Council to consider the grave and serious situation that has arisen as a result of the flagrant violations of the cease-fire by India.
It will be recalled that the Council, in its resolution 211 (1965) of 20 September, called upon India and Pakistan to issue orders for a cease-fire to take effect on 22 September at 0700 hours GMT. In his letter of 21 September [see S/6699, para. 6.]. The Secretary-General informed the Indian representative that each party should instruct its forces to cease-fire as of 0700 hours GMT on 22 September, without condition. In spite of this unambiguous clarification given by the Secretary General, the Indian representative sought an extension of the dead-line by eighteen hours on the pretext of a reasonable notice to the local commanders, although the President of Pakistan had, in compliance with the Security Council resolution, issued orders to the Pakistan armed forces to stop fighting as from 1205 hours West Pakistan time (equivalent to 0700 hours GMT) on 22 September. There no justification for was India delayed the cease-fire orders, but the Security Council acceded to the Indian request and granted an extension of fifteen hours. We had a sense of foreboding that India was seeking an extension of the dead-line in order to alter the military situation to its advantage during the interval.
We regret to say that our fears have proved to be well founded. Even while the representative of India was asking for an extension of the cease fire dead-line, the Indian forces were massing for a major offensive against Pakistan. Since then, there have been daily violations of the cease-fire agreement by India. The following serious incidents may be mentioned by way of illustration.
On 23 September, Indian forces crossed the cease fire line and occupied a feature in the Lipa valley in Azad Kashmir. When our forces in that area told them to vacate this position, the Indians opened fire. This restarted the fighting between the two forces. Also on 3 September Indian. forces occupied the village of Alhar in Sialkot sector, and seized the villages of Bhakti Dhilwae and Dogiyai in Lahore Sector.
On 24 September, in the Uri-Poonch sector, Indians started building a road linking Punch town with Uri. On the same day, Indian troops moved forward. towards the Bambanwala-Ravi-Bedian Canal on the Karike-Buriki axis and occupied an area which was not in their possession before the cease-fire. They shelled Pakistan positions and opened up tank and small-arms fire. Shelling was continuing when the United Nations observer visited the scene at 5.55 p.m. West Pakistan time. Also on 24 September, in the Sialkot sector, Indian troops attempted to blow up the railway line near the village of Alhar; and in Khem Karan-Husainiwala sector. Indian troops violated the cease-fire a number of times. Two patrols, each consisting of one officer and three other ranks who had crossed to the area under Pakistan control for the purpose of collecting information, were captured. Indian forces occupied Sawarwali post in the Fazilka sector, which was under Pakistan control before the cease-fire. Positions held by Pakistani troops in various sectors of Kashmir formerly under occupation were attacked by Indian forces. Also on 24 September, Indian forces launched four attacks in Lahore. sector and undertook two attacks in the Rajasthan sector. In the KhemKaran sector, Indian forces laid antipersonnel mines of a very brutal type in the area under Pakistan control while they moved about under white flags, pretending that they were collecting their dead.
On 25 September, Indian forces, in more than battalion strength, supported by a squadron of tanks, attacked Pakistan positions after sending an ultimatum to the Pakistan local commander, demanding that he should withdraw from positions held by him since before the cease-fire came into effect. Also on 25 September, Indian troops attacked Pakistan positions in Chananwal in Fazilka sector at 1700 hours West Pakistan time, supported by armour and artillery.
On 26 September, Indian forces were assembling in the Rajasthan sector to launch fresh attacks on Pakistan positions ; if an attack is undertaken, it will be necessary to use the Pakistan Air Force in self-defence. On the same day, Indian troops committed more cease-fire violations and occupied some places in Akhnoor sector which were not occupied by them before the cease-fire. They also put in attacks supported by artillery and mortars, to seize two posts in the same sector. Similar reports were received from the Tithwal sector.
On 27 September, Indian troops made a number of attempts to occupy a feature near Shahkot. They have been shelling this area throughout the day and the shelling was still going on when last reports were received.
The Permanent Representative of Pakistan reported to the Secretary-General about these violations, through his letters of 24, 25 and 26 September, which have since been circulated as Security Council documents [S/6709, S/6712, S/6713, S/6714]. These violations of the cease-fire by India were also reported to the United Nations military observers by our military commanders. The United Nations observers were warned that, unless these attacks ceased, we would be obliged to go to the help of our troops. The United Nations observers have confirmed our complaints of Indian violations of the cease-fire, after due verification. Colonel Gauthier, who is in charge of a team of United Nations observers in the Lahore area, has made the following report to the Secretary-General, which has been communicated to the Council by the Secretary-General in his report on the observance of the cease-fire dated 26 September 196:
"I personally went to the area of the cease-fire line with one observer in the afternoon of 24 September to investigate complaints received from local headquarters. that Indian troops were edging forward of the positions they held at the time of the cease-fire. The situation started shortly after first light on 23 September. Efforts were made by us to contact the Indian Battalion Commander but to no avail. Shelling started at 17 15 hours on 24 September from the Indian side with medium and field artillery, recoilless rifle, tank and small-arms fire. From where we were standing, all fire seemed to be falling at a distance of 600 to 1,000 yards away, in the general area of a canal which is at present the dividing line between the two opposing forces. This heavy firing went on for half an hour, forcing us to take cover. On returning to Lahore I immediately asked UNMOGIP to pass a strong protest to the Vice-Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, which was done. I then visited the local command who assured me that no Pakistan artillery had fired..." [S/6710/Add. 1, para. 4].
That is the report of United Nations observers.
The catalogue of violations of the cease-fire by India has conclusively and irrefutably proved that the true purpose of the Indian Government in seeking an extension of the cease-fire time-limit was to take advantage of the extension to mount fresh attacks against our positions in order forcibly to alter the military situation to India's advantage. It is also clear that the offensive undertaken by Indian forces after the ceasefire agreement was premeditated and pre-planned.
India has also tried, by the use of armour, to escalate the conflict even after the cease-fire came into effect. Having failed in its plan to change the military situation in its favour during the extension of the cease-fire dead-line granted by the Security Council, India is persisting in its attempts to achieve this end after the cease-fire and in flagrant violation of its call for an end to hostilities and bloodshed.
Besides flagrantly violating the cease-fire, the Indian Government has intensified its acts of repression and violence against the oppressed people of Kashmir and is continuing its punitive actions against the Muslims in occupied Kashmir. As a result of the atrocities committed by Indian troops, the people of Kashmir are fleeing the State to seek shelter in Azad Kashmir and areas of West Pakistan. So far, over 60,000 refugees have crossed over and more are coming every day. Of these, 20,000 came from the occupied Punch area where the Indian forces had burned and looted the houses of the local people. In Rajaori area at least thirty villages are reported to have been burned by the Indian army. After the Indians had started the incursions across the cease-fire line in the Bhimbar section, about 30,000 people of this area were uprooted and sought asylum in Azad Kashmir and West Pakistan.
I am bringing these inhuman acts of victimization and terrorization of the people of Kashmir to the attention of the Security Council in the hope that the Council will take effective measures to alleviate the misery of these innocent people who I have suffered at the hands of the Indian colonialists for no other reason than their struggle to achieve their freedom.
The catalogue of deliberate, wanton and blatant violations of the cease-fire line by India and the acts of repression against the innocent, helpless people of the Indian-occupied zone of Kashmir underline the gravity of the present situation. It is of the utmost importance that the Security Council should take immediate and effective measures to stop violations of the cease fire by India. The Council should also ensure that India does not commit these violations again. Unless these Indian incursions into Pakistan positions are halted immediately, the situation will deteriorate rapidly and go out of control. We believe that India is deliberately creating these incidents and violations in order to frustrate the efforts of the Council for an honourable and enduring solution of the Kashmir problem.
It is imperative that a self-executing procedure for the settlement of the Kashmir dispute should be evolved as soon as possible. Time is running out. Events have shown that the implementation of paragraph 1 of Council resolution 211 (1965) is not enough. It is of the utmost importance and urgency that the Security Council should initiate immediate action for the implementation of paragraph 4 of that resolution and bring lasting peace to a war-torn subcontinent. I am elated to note that in the resolution which it has adopted this evening the Security Council has taken into account the importance of the underlying problem by reaffirming resolution 211 (1965), which, in paragraphs 1 and 5, makes it incumbent upon the Council to work rapidly towards a self-executing agreement which will bring to an end the dispute between India and Pakistan and achieve lasting peace between the peoples of those countries.