Statement to the Press by Major A Ghani
Statement
to the press by Major A. Ghani M.L.A. East Pakistan and General Secretary
Pakistan Ex. Service man Association, Dacca.
During my tour in west Pakistan I have
observed that Govt of west Pakistan have taken some steps to resettle &
rehabilitate the Ex. Servicemen in Civil life with their share of money of post
war Reconstruction Fund, amounting to Rs 1,25,00000/- (One Crore and Twenty
Five Lacs). I am delighted to see the Fauji Textile Mills at Jhelum
where about 2500 Ex. Servicemen & their sons have been employed. This Mill
is equipped with most modern machinery & equipment imported from U.K, Japan,
& America.
The Mill is very efficiently managed & run very smoothly by the Ex.
Servicemen. This Mill is worth seeing. At the present moment the Fauji Mill is
in a position to distribute about Rs 10 Lacs annually for the benefit &
welfare of the Ex. Servicemen, their children in the shape of stipends,
scholarships for technical & general education and about Rs 2 lacs for
medical treatment of the invalid and infirm Ex. Servicemen. This Mill will be
in a position to spend more money for welfare of Ex. Servicemen & invest
more money for other industrial developments within a short period of 3/5 years
time.
G.H.Q. Rawalpindi has some other
industrial projects which are in the process of completion & managed by the
central postwar Reconstruction Fund. West Pakistan Govt have managed to settle
few thousands Ex. servicemen at That project and few thousands in Govt offices.
Mills & factories at various places. But I feel that in view of large
number of Ex. servicemen in west Pakistan more projects should be taken up to
resettle these personal either on land or in services or organizing cottage
industries on Co-operative basis.
Major Ghani after returning from Azad-Kashmir
met General Mohd Ayub Khan C-in-C of Pak Army and discussed various points
about recruitment in East Pakistan, raising of more units & setting up of
an Ordnance Factory to cater the needs of the troops stationed in East Pakistan
and resettlement of Ex. Servicemen of that wing. Major Ghani apprised the C-in-C
about the miserable plight of the Ex. Servicemen in East
Pakistan who are almost reduced to destitute due to food prices
& economic depression in East Pakistan. Since
the plight of these unfortunate men have got direct bearing on future
recruitment and bound to affect the morale & efficiency of the fighting
forces I strongly feel that some urgent steps should be taken to find out some
ways & means to help these brave soldiers who have nothing to fall back
upon. The Primary responsibility of resettling the Ex. servicemen is the duty
of the provincial Govt. It is a matter of great pity & shame that in East Pakistan we even do not know where is our share of
post war Reconstruction Fund amounting to Rs 52 lacs received by East Pakistan
Govt form West Bengal during partition in
1947. During the last 10 years Prov Govt have not taken any steps to utilize
the money for the welfare of the Ex. Servicemen, their families & their
children. This fund is the property of the Ex. servicemen of East
Pakistan & no one has got any claim about this money. Major
Ghani requested the C- in- C to take up this matter immediately with the authorities
concerned & take some effective steps to utilize that money. Major Ghani
further suggested that 25% of the vacancies of both central & prov Govt of
all classes of services be reserved for the Ex. servicemen of both the wings.
Various other points about resettlement of Ex. servicemen were discussed with
the C-in-C Mohd Ayub Khan Major General
Shahid Hamid, Major Ghulam Husain the secretary of post war Reconstruction Fund.
Major Ghani also met Major General Iskander Mirza, President Pakistan, Mr.H.S.
Suharwardy Prime Minister of Pakistan
and Mr. Ataur Rahman Khan Chief Minister of East Pakistan
at Karachi, All
of them have shown sympathetic attitude & they assured Major Ghani of their
full support & co-operation.
Rawalpindi Major
A Ghani
dated
25. 4. 57
