Page:Documents from the Den of Espionage.djvu/283

1. (U) ALL ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PAPERS REPORT THIS MORNING A SHORT PAKISTAN WIRE SERVICE GIST OF COMMENTS MADE BY PRESIDENT SIZ UL-HAQ IN A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH NEWSWEEK'S TONY CLIFTON. SUBJECTS ADDRESSED INCLUDED GENERAL AND LOCAL BODIES POLLS, THE BHUTTO WOMEN, THE PAKISTAN PEOPLES PARTY (PPP), AND THE GENERAL'S OWN FUTURE.

2. (U) IN HIS REMARKS, ZIA:
--REAFFIRMED HIS RESOLVE TO HOLD GENERAL ELECTIONS THIS YEAR, EVEN IF THAT MEANS PUTTING OFF HIS CHERISHED HOPES OF HOLDING ELECTIONS BEFOREHAND TO DISTRICT AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS (REF. A);
--ADMITTED THAT THERE ARE CONDITIONS--INTERNAL DISORDER AND EXTERNAL THREAT--WHICH COULD EFFECT THE ELECTION SCHEDULE, BUT SAID HE FORESEES NO SUCH CONDITIONS AT THE MOMENT;
--REASSERTED HIS FAITH IN THE LOCAL BODIES SYSTEM HE HAS OFFERED AS A MEANS OF GETTING DEMOCRACY FUNCTIONING AT THE GRASS ROOTS LEVEL, BUT TOOK NOTE OF UNANIMOUS OPPOSITION FROM THE NATION'S POLITICIANS WHO, HE SAID, APPEAR TO HIM TO WANT TO GET THEMSELVES ELECTED FIRST AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL SO AS TO BE ABLE TO INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME OF LOCAL BODIES POLLS;
--PLEDGED THAT THE PPP WILL HAVE FULL FREEDOM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTIONS; HE CLAIMED CREDIT