1973| Fifty Years Ago| Governors Removed

In a series of dramatic announcements [Feb 15, 1973], the NAP Governors of Baluchistan and NWFP,

Mr Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo and Arbab Sikander Khan Khalil respectively, were relieved of office, the

Baluchistan Cabinet headed by NAP’s Attaullah Mengal, was removed President’s Rule imposed for

30 days, and Sardar Akbar Khan Bugti and Mr Aslam Khna Khattak were sworn in as Governors of

Baluchistan and NWFP respectively.

Late that night, the NWFP ‘s NAP-JUI coalition Government, led by JUI’s Maulana Mufti Mahmud

Resigned following the withdrawal of support earlier today by Mr Aslam Khna’s United Front.

The Announcement was made from the outgoing Chief Minister’s house, through the Provincial

Information Department.

Mr Altaf Gauhar, Editor ‘Dawn’, was arrested shortly after midnight of Wednesday [Feb 14] from his

residence in Karachi.

He was forced out of his room at gun point after a heavy police posse broke open the main gate and

then the door of the room.

The inmates of the house were expressly forbidden to use the telephone which was then

disconnected.

Mr Altaf Gauhar’s son, his nephew and a servant were maltreated.