ROME, Sept. 22—The international relief organization of the Roman Catholic Church appealed to the United Nations today to save the people of East Pakistan from “what threatens to be one of the most deadly famines of our times.”

The statement, issued by Caritas Internationalis, the international conference of Catholic charities with headquarters here, criticized the world organization for not having already acted vigorously.

“The United Nations, which is perfectly informed of the situation, is the only organization that has the necessary means to stave off catastrophe,” the plea said.

Today's statement was understood to have been approved by Pope Paul VI. The Pontiff Stopped briefly in Dacca, East Pakistan, on his way to East Asia and Australia last November in a gesture of solidarity with the victims of an earlier calamity, the disastrous floods of last autumn.

Not on U.N. Agenda

Caritas, which has been given consultative status by various United Nations bodies, said in its statement that the problems of East Pakistan were apparently not on the agenda of the present General Assembly.

“Certainly, there has been talk at the United Nations about Pakistan,” the statement said, “but merely in a vague subcommission on the protection of minorities.”

The appeal went on:

“If it is the duty of the United Nations to denounce violations of human rights, it should even more be the organization's duty to prevent conflicts and disasters whenever possible.

“As for East Pakistan, it seems to us that there is more and something better to be done than investigate the responsibility for the crimes and terrors of the past.”

Caritas declared that famine In East Pakistan had been foreseen for at least two months and could still be avoided. It said that it agreed with the conclusions of United Nations experts that unless an international relief program was started “within the next few weeks,” famine and a new mass migration from East Pakistan into India was inevitable.

Mass Migration Feared

The relief organization referred to reports in the world press that civil war in East Pakistan “is far from being terminated.” if famine were to add to East Pakistan's afflictions, the statement warned, “it may” be necessary to face the emigration of an entire people, sapped by hunger and disease.”

The appeal asserted that United Nations agencies had so far allocated only $9.8‐million for relief in East Pakistan. Money allocated to United Nations agencies for assistance was so inadequate, it declared, “that from reading their reports and press statements one gains the impression they are ashamed to give the exact amounts.”

Caritas urged the international press to inform the world of the menace facing an already heavily afflicted people. “The public must be informed of what is in store for East Pakistan owing to the elements and to men,” it said.