New Delhi, Jan. 13: An indication that Pakistan has reconciled to the creation of Bangla Desh as an independent country has come from the most unexpected quarter. A telegram has been received from the Pakistan Government requesting the Union Ministry of Communications to arrange for delivery of mail from that country to Bangla Desh. The official telegram uses the word “Bangla Desh” which only shows that Pakistan has come to recognise the reality of the situation. Ever since hostilities broke out between India and Pakistan, and for several weeks earlier, there has been no mail service between West Pakistan and Bangla Desh. Islamabad has now sent a frantic request that the Indian Government should offer facilities in this regard.
Enquiries show that pressure had come from three directions which prompted the Pakistan Government to make this request. First, several Bengalis living in West Pakistan had been insisting on the Pakistan Government seeking such facility so that they could correspond with their kith and kin in Bangla Desh. Secondly, influential businessmen of West Pakistan had asked their Government to seek such facilities so that they could re-establish business contacts with Bangla Desh. Thirdly, the prisoners-of-war in Bangla Desh can write to their people in West Pakistan only when postal communications between the two countries are restored.
