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3/21/1969 - Pakistan’s Students -- A Nation in their Hands? by Barbara W. Bright

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Im Rosental BWB Bonn Pakistan Students West Germany A Nation their Hands March Mr Richard Ho Nolte Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York N Y i0017 Dear Mr Nolte With German universities closed until summer semester begins April research regarding older generation today West German youth flushed satisfaction I devoting newsletter gentleman Pakistan returned recently three months visit explosive homeland Although newspaper reports acknowledged played nation students President Ayub Khan promise relinquish power their current popular support Shiekh Majibur Rahman East Zulfikar Ali Bhutto West Pakistan students strength responsible political force contends Pakistan friend being underrated Western observers In East Pakistan particularly students active political organized among sections seventy million population They avant garde every fieldo Unlike student movements West which common denominator student demands greater university decision making Pakistan students willing leave universities within control university authorities central government Western student movements claim varying degrees emphasis common socialistic goals But socialism concerned Pakistan Pakistani elementary demands taken first shelter olothingo Socialism luxury country indulge oPakistan cannot Bhutto reputedly Peking darling Jest Pakistan students lists Islam ocialism democracy three tenets campaign believe others outraged mention socialismo Indeed Tariq Ali Pakistan revolutionary until recently leader England New Left scoffed Bhutto stands right England Harold Wilson The strength Pakistan student movement Pakistani Eastern section nation which geographically culturally divided West Pakistan East Pakistan rural overcrowded agricultural whose chief products sugar Population density persons square country square cities Despite poverty alluial delta Ganges River summertimeoooand livin Most hopelessly explained Pakistani perhaps The peasant ground smokes water Almighty God takes Of course Almighty occasionally sends floods usually There struggle against nature West Pakistan other times larger East Pakistan sparsely settled 310536 square miles barren wasteland But natural resources include sulphur deposits Since divided nation declared independent West Pakistan shown amazing industrial economic growth World Bank called Pakistan jewel among developing nations With population together common Bengal culture East Pakistan developed society which essentially democratic egalitarian West Pakistan conglomerate languages cultures heteregeneous feudal society which nonetheless affairs explained Pakistani ordered state Pakistan central govern formerly Karachi Islama Establishment source power civil service Army The leaders East Pakistan serve essentially communications officers After nation independence East Pakistan leaders protested again against West Pakistan discrimination But East Pakistan Establishment support agitation these efforts failed bitterness resent against central government among educated public East Pakistan The central government although certainly great vigor East Pakistan regions admitted Pakistani himself eastern section educated abroad Dacca named national assembly never around moving assembly apparatus there The assembly itself meets Dacca twice token adherence consti tutional requirement Half hearted efforts increase East Pakistan representation civil service certainl lopsided twenty years But seventy percent Establishment virtually positions Army civil service still controlled West Pakistan With individual political leaders unable provide constancy strength required promote East Pakistan demands students stepped Their first demonstration power Bengali speaking East Pakistan students protested thousands against Karachi government naming Urdu itself major languages West Pakistan tribes official language nation Bowing student outcry Karachi leaders agreed Pakistan lingual nation elevating Bengali official plane Urduo Two years later East Pakistan students played significant routing Muslim League party tension West Pakistan gove_cnment provincial elections Since students continued agitate increased East Pakistan central govern quell movement crucial point closing Dacca Rajshahi universities The university authorities strings power would doors central government Since students mostly rural areas university provided housing money return their villages schools closed Then protest movement fizzles while In however Ayub Khan government passed univer ordinance intended quiet student disturbances curtailing rights university senates students themselves A particularly onerous clause university authorities right revoke intermediar degrees earned after students misbehaved This their bread Pakistani chance further study toward bachelor degree important document applying The ordinance prompted outbreak student demonstrations which coincided Ayub Khan health breakdown personalized administration In Wst Pakistan Bhutto added student protests opposition campaign against Ayub Khan Bhutto always tried project youthful image during politicalize West Pakistan students until recently taken sporadic interest politics They organized East Pakistan students Authorities closed Dacca university again East Pakistan students quietly villages There little studying country which catching mused Pakistani ideal choice After police student West Pakistan violent protest riots broke East West Pakistan A general strike called East Pakistan lesser degree West Pakistan government administration knocked completely Through relentless campaign demonstrations strikes discussion meetings teach Western terminology students forced government release Shiekh Majibur Rahman At moment happy marriage between Rahman East Pakistan students students really control I realize myself until visit water running Pakistani students alone Law order collapsed students movement within peaceful channels added Newspaper reports Dacca today mention establishment student people courts passing sentence local civil servants loyal Ayub Khan regirae One student leader quoted We travelling through villages pleading people resort killings We asked courts Muslim Leaguers In successful They paying their thousands rather their houses burned Unlike West where student movements found little among general population students Pakistan respected followed Pakistani We Oriental respect education What East Pakistan students demanding tical terms autonomy The students moderate elements which social revolution really conse quence explained Socialist revolutionary Tariq Ali recently returned West Pakistan scorned fellow students there A Bengal student leader Lahore German reporter recently Tariq comes East Pakistan lynched This obviously overstatement effect Tariq visit East Pakistan talked student leaders interview BBC praised their organization purpose adding West Pakistan student movement comparison A Pakistan richest Tariq scarcely acceptable Islamic Pakistan students resent religious statements while London opportunistic kissing Koran return Pakistan Said another student Lahore Don think Tariq because revolution Every family reunion which discuss administration their fortune He attend marriages family Pakistani would I should I cousin Although socialism estern student sense students satisfied increase parliamentary seats East Pakistan Pakistani pointed The nation present constitution allows fifty fifty parity between East Pakistan which parliamentary terms alread means unfair balance against East whose population exceeds West Pakistan The students accept They fighting masters their house Does separatist movement I asked forma state After recent events sentiment separation predicted because discussions between leaders East Pakistan Ayub Khan proved fruitless The results present chaos Pakistani probably military without Ayub Khan It right direction couple months become prisoners events Nobody leading events being And looks implausibl these tangles worked politically This total confusion Every there strike higher wages The government negotia_te print money People being killed author ities contrl completely Under temporary military regime concluded order established leaders various elements called together sensible frameworko When occurs Pakistani confident organized students oversee peaceful transition government Despite current chaos believes student movement Pakistan favors violent means Che Guevara prophets violence among youth West almost unknown Pakistan explained Pakistan friend At their demonstration February commemorating student martyrs killed during Bengali language riots students around houses Dacca permission flowers gardens Then placed flowers monument S__incerely Barbara Bright Received In New York March