APRIL 8, 1984, FORTY YEARS AGO

PPP POLL BOYCOTT

THE PAKISTAN PEOPLE’S Party (PPP) has decided on a total boycott of elections which the country’s military ruler, Gen Ziaul Haq has promised to hold before March next year. In a major policy statement being drafted for release, the PPP will declare that Gen Zia has lost mandate to hold elections since his regime was illegal and unconstitutional. Gen Zia is accused by the party of destroying, de facto, the 1973 constitution of Pakistan which had the approval of the people.

PM ON IRAN-IRAQ WAR

Prime minister ind ira gandhi made an impassioned

plea to Iran and Iraq to end their escalatingwar. she warned israel to withdraw its troops from Lebanon immediately too. Mrs Gandhi regretted that the “tragic conflict between Iran and Iraq has defied our best efforts at finding a solution” , and the Palestine problem remained unresolved.

THE PUNJAB PROBLEM

NOW THAT THE Government has offered to study Article 25 as demanded by the Akalis and the a kali shave withdrawn their proposed agitation on the issue, efforts are afoot to find a solution to the Punjab problem and end the present stalemate. The secret contact which the government had established with the

Akali leadership is being maintained. The government appears to be keen on an early solution to the Punjab problem.

15 DEAD IN NAGALAND

FIFTEEN ACTIVISTS OF the pro-beijing: National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and five Burmese army men were killed in an encounter at a place between Shiplouu and Punuw in northern Burma recently, according to a report from across the border. When a group of armed NSCN men was advancing towards Shiplouu village to settle an old score, some villagers immediately alerted the nearby Burmese army post, the report said. Upon being challenged, the NSCN opened fire.