Opinion June 1, 1983, Forty Years Ago: PM On Pakistan

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said acquisition of arms by Pakistan was creating hurdles in the way of friendship with that country. Otherwise, relations between India and Pakistan would be on better footing, she said. After the 1971 war, Gandhi said India entered into the Simla agreement with Pakistan, simply to arrest the increasing expenditure of the two countries’ on arms’ purchase.

New Army Chief

Breaking the seniority principle, the government has appointed Lt Gen A S Vaidya, GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, as the next Chief of the Army Staff. He will take over from Gen K V Krishna Rao on July 31. The government’s decision to appoint Lt Gen Vaidya as the next Army Chief marks the supersession of the Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen S K Sinha, who was to succeed Gen Rao.

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CBI Solves Murder

The CBI is believed to have come to the conclusion that extremists were responsible for the murder of A S Atwal, Punjab Police DIG, who was killed near the Golden Temple in Amritsar on April 25. The CBI has almost completed the investigation of the case. Three extremists are alleged to be involved in the crime. The killers have been identified.

Syria Warns US

Syrian media warned that American blood would be spilled if a new war broke out between Syria and Israel in Lebanon. The warning came in an editorial by Damascus newspaper AI-Baath, voice of Syrian President Assad’s Baath Party. It appeared aimed at US marines serving with the multinational peace-keeping force in Lebanon.