establishment of Bangladesh.
despair?
On the face of it the army takeover was designed to break the political deadlock between Bhutto and the opposition PNA (Pakistan National Alliance). In our opinion this was merely a Eerine cal inside the army It is now obvious that sunse officers — majors, captains and lieutenants — were become the creasingly disgusted with political situation. politica sympathies of most of thes religious political which both Sus a Tro me rona ideas and provides them with a The the Bhutto, merely fanned the famer They rant a blond-purge to SUCCE Their model is Saudi Arabia, but many of them realise that a non-starter. Many of these young The army has taken over Pakistan once again. The first time it did so was in 1958. The then dictator, General Ayub, ruled for 13 years. He was overthrown by a mass uprising. The second period of military rule was shorter, but led to the disintegration of the Pakistani state with the What can the third Martial Law offer a country whose masses have had to rely on a staple diet of demagogy and religion for more than two decades, but cynicism and officers found the job of shooting demonstrators and policing tasteful. It is Ikely that some of them were considering a young Turk revolt which could have been a bloody affair. The generais pre-empted them. he new deator energe the new dictator, will organise a free election on ?
October, or whether the taste of absolute power look for other solations. A lo will depend on the mass movement. The apposition bas effect welcomed the coup. per cont dependent on the PNA.
NEO-FASCIST Secondle Zin will want to ensure a result which will keep his junior officers placated fo done by a PNA electoral victory which would give the obscuran(Party of Islam) ministers in the new cabinet L leo nine tre Your officers might well decide thn they would rather stay in power, gore the TENS politicians". In such an tuality a second and more vicious ittle Belize couD cannot be combination of ERNIEST BRE - maoc by me evenThe Baluchis and the vince are already appostor nak op anti-Bhutto demonstrations sartier this year — viewed with distaste by many junior Hashemite coup which could be a bizarr the Thai and An extended period of military rule in Pakistan could rapidl country. The reason is a simple Wart one: the two minority nationali thind Martial Law for too long.
Pathans HOPINIC ELSTENE the North West Frontie Proin political If elections are not held on 7 Ocrober they will beri to prepare a national opposition Caven the strategic character of the provinces in question (one Afghanistan and other Iran) any unrest tenda to TELE BOUTINE COULEIS The Shah of Iran has indicate thar he would intervene to pre They vent instability in the region land, Thid the be happy i the India coup Pakistan remained unsettled, What is therefore ar stake is not simply whether or future of the several PNA leaders are in protecrive cus tody". They will obviously bav place. Their an important indication as to the intentions ol Zia bas the reputatien of So his military predecessor Yahya Khan, who Allempted to drown the binod of its own people. Zia's hands are also Despite all his talk a he participated in tbe brutal researce in the Bick ereinien Palestinian of 1970, He commanded Pakis tan iercenaries sent to aid the stales.
monarch Hussein, For his crimes he was decorated When he became Chief of Staff of the Army in 1976 be said that be Faith, Abstinence and Holy The first virtue we saw disclared in Jordan in 1970, the liquor in the Araly to be s liquor in the Army messes. for the third, the only people he could fight a " boly war against Pakistani (basses. To Slempt it acanst India or would sound the death-knell for Pakistan.
The generals are embarked on an extremely dangerous course. Their temporary salvarion lies i in promoting the election of a rightwing government, but even that would not solve the real prob ems which confront the masse are the old problems bread and shelter Th signals a new period o Instability in Pakistani politics Where exactly it will end cannot yer predicr. If the Bangla General Zia — is a model, then Pakistanis are in for a hard time ZIA-UL-HAQUE has now ordered NARTSCJOOFIRH rakis lon mune with Saud! Arabia as two of the world's most reactlonary Musim were held in jail for the duration SAHARA: Troops of the Pol Fi thie shelled and machin of Nouakched for 45 minute Tast week. This is an indication ing military position Mauritania and Morocco, clair to the mineral rich Spanish colony. Also Inst weel unidencitiod gueriles shot the ambassador Paris, The Polisario, which ha erations in Europe, disciaimed responsibility, CHINA: There is growing of position in the West fast-moving rehabilication TOMER PTIME •INSTEE Teng Hsiao-Ping Charles Bettle beit, the loading pro-Peking president of the Sino French Friendship Society, the Chinese leadership of revi officia rejecting the priociple of m This refers to the Sinto-Sovie ALBANIA: Uofortunately we cast the stani slackis that the Alhanian attack conscted to the cerclation it Burke's Peerage thar China': old friend Richard Nixon ninth in Line for the Albanian throne through connections on his mother's side ARGENTINA: The Monton ero guerrillas have demanded a reduction in the price of tickets next year's World Cup football matches JAPAN: The Japanese Com munist Party is standing in the clections to the Upper House similar to the Eurocommu cists, calling for the nationa Ir also says thai it will onl support a treaty with the LISSR after the later rerurns tou Islands of the Kurile Chain to Japan. Commision of Human Ripe Europea has ruled as "admissable" a case brought against the Souther Irish Government by a Cork The charge is that the uman rights or men y buman rights for womer making it extremely difficul for a woman lo gel 'judicia separation' from her bushand successful outcome coul bean the Full legalisation of divorce in Ireland INDIA: George Fernandes, th Socialist Party leader jailed b the Gandhi Covernment been appointed Industry Mid ser in the Tanata Party Go PERU: The Finance Ministe has resigned after the refusal o the Inrernations.
Fund to meet the Govern ment's request for a srand-by MENICO: Police have arrested 20 workers who were part of ar