148 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র : সপ্তম খণ্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ ৭১। জাতিসংঘ সাধারন পরিষদে পাকিস্তানী | জাতিসংঘ দলিলপত্র উদ্ধৃতিঃ ২৯ সেপ্টেম্বর, ১৯৭১ প্রতিনিধি মাহমুদ আলীর বিবৃতি বাংলাদেশ ডকুমেন্টস Statement by Mr. Mahmud Ali (Pakistan) in the U.N. General Assembly September 29, 1971 It is with the utmost reluctance that I have asked to be allowed to speak again in the Assembly. I sincerely hope that we can put an end to polemics and concentrate instead on practical aspects of the issue, namely, how to bring the refugees back to their homes. We had expected that in his reply the Honorable Foreign Minister of India would give us the benefit of his Government's views on how best to achieve this end. Instead, he thought it helpful to give the Assembly a lecture on Pakistan’s failings. We all have our short comings, and the history of my country's attempts to fine a lasting and just solution of its constitutional problems is no secret. Our aim has always been to establish a system of government which would be based on the will of the people and would reconcile the various geographical, political, and cultural factors. We are determined to proceed along that road. It I may say so, the benefit to India also lies in the success and not in the failure of our efforts. The Foreign Minister of India questioned the accuracy of the number of refugees estimated by Pakistan. He thought it strange that two persons had left from one district and 6000 from another. It was precisely because such questions were bound to be raised that my Government has proposed that the Secretary-General of the United Nations might arrange an independent verification of our court. But the Representative of India did not offer to submit his country's meticulous registration of the refugee influx to a similar scrutiny. Why should the Indian Government expect everyone to accept without question its figure-a figure which is constantly spiraling without reference to reality? I do wish to suggest that while the international community has a moral responsibility to alleviate the suffering of the refugees until their return is effected, it is also its duty to make sure that the aid provided for them is not misused for other purposes. India objects to the stationing of United Nations observers on its side of the border on two grounds. Firstly, that it is unnecessary because so many individuals have visited the area and have seen the refugee camps. This is a specious argument. On the Pakistan side, too, we have had visitors. Furthermore, there has been for the last two months and more no censorship whatsoever in any part of Pakistan. Nor do restrictions of any kind exist on the movement of press representatives within Pakistan. Nonetheless, Pakistan did not hesitate to accept the stationing of observers. The international community to which India has appealed is entitled to receive a similar token of confidence from India. It is indeed shocking that the Foreign Minister of India should call the proposal for a good offices committee of the Security Council to bring about a reduction of tension
