My dear countrymen:

I speak to you once again in the midst of the grave crisis thrust upon us by our unscrupulous and hostile neighbor, which I know is a source of extreme concern and anguish to all of us. The massive armed aggression launched by Bharat [India] continues unabated.

The nation's response to my call for action in defense of the country has been magnificent. The heroic fight put up by our armed forces in East Pakistan against overwhelming odds will go down in history as an epic of indomitable courage, reminiscent of the highest traditions of the soldiers of Islam.

Though vastly outnumbered and cut off from supplies and reinforcements by land, sea and air due to enemy blockade, these Ghazis of Islam held out for months against a perfidious and ruthless enemy, massively equipped and backed by a superpower.

It is for these reasons that we have been overwhelmed in the eastern sector, but a temporary setback in one theater of war does not by any means signify the end of the struggle.

We may lose a battle, but final victory in this war of survival shall Inshallah be ours. At this time, our hearts go out to our brethren in East Pakistan, who are being relentlessly subjected to terror and tribulation by the warlords of Bharat. To them we say: This is not the end.

Vows to Fight On

We shall fight for our country relentlessly. We shall resist the aggressor with the spirit which only almighty Allah bestows on his believers. We fight for justice, for the existence of our nation, for our coming generations. We have bled and suffered to create and build our country. No sacrifice will be too great to preserve this Islamic homeland of the 120 million people of Pakistan.

The torch of resistance to Bharat's naked aggression which had burnt so fiercely in Esat Pakistan shall never be allowed to be extinguished. It shall pass from hand to hand throughout the length and breadth of Pakistan. The gallant and God‐fearing people of East Pakistan will continue to struggle with unrelenting determination against India's imperialist designs.

We are faced by a predatory aggressor whose designs are now clear.

They have launched an allout bid for the dismemberment and total destruction of Pakistan, on the strength of their superiority of numbers. They have resorted to indiscriminate bombing of civilian population, not even sparing hospitals and orphanages. The Moslems of the subcontinent have faced this challenge before, in the political field as well as on the battle front. By the grace of almighty Allah they have prevailed in the past. The justice of our cause, we shall not fail or falter.

‘Imperialist Challenge’

We are fighting a naked imperialist challenge which threatens not merely Pakistan but the whole of this region. The entire civilized world, which recognizes the sanctity of international frontiers and national sovereignty, has upheld the justice of our cause.

Both in the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations, the overwhelming majority of world opinion has shown itself to be on our side. We are grateful to all nations who have spoken out and gone on record to uphold the inviolability of national frontiers and the sovereignty of states, and who have urged an end to senseless bloodshed and a withdrawal of armies.

Pakistan has always sought to live in peace with its neighbors; we have no aggressive designs against any country, and we have demonstrated this once again by our prompt acceptance of the U.N. resolutions on this subject.

We remain prepared to honor any decision of the United Nations designed to bring about an honorable solution of the crisis, consistent with our national interest.

The world should take note of India's blatant defiance of international opinion expressed in the United Nations. We are not alone in our historic struggle, we acknowledge, with gratitude, support of the People's Republic of China and the United States and in keeping with the U.N. principle of the inviolability of national frontiers.

It is indeed heartening that these” two great powers have raised their voices so firmly in the cause of peace and justice. Our brethren in the Moslem countries and friends in the Afro‐Asian world have also given us heartwarming support. To all our friends we say: stand by us, and rest assured that the people of Pakistan and their armed forces will not cease their struggle until aggression is vacated and justice prevails.

While we engage the aggressor on all fronts, we shall continue the march towards representative government, which the Indian attack sought to thwart. The Constitution will be announced as scheduled on 20th of December. It contains clear and unequivocal provisions guaranteeing maximum autonomy to East Pakistan, consistent with the concept of one Pakistan, for the creation and preservation of which both wings of our country have undergone untold sacrifices. Thereafter representative government will be set up at the center to be immediately followed by representative governments in the provinces.

It is my prayer that peace will soon prevail, so that the people of Pakistan, who have suffered so much at the hands of unprovoked aggression, can resume their efforts to build a just and prosperous society in the finest traditions of Islam.

The danger that threatens Pakistan today will soon loom large over the whole of Asia, unless the world community moves fast and decisively to end and undo Bharat's aggression.

The 20th century has seen the world plunged into the abyss of world war twice. On both occasions, the nations of the world did not move fast enough to stamp out aggression aimed at the dismemberment on conquest of smaller countries.

We shall not let this happen again; we shall fight alone, if we must. But we know the anxiety and concern of the world, let the international community move quickly and firmly to extinguish the flames of war in the entire region, and vacate the aggression.

My Countrymen: Secure in the justice of your cause, armed with the faith and courage bestowed on you by God almighty, carry on your struggle with discipline and determination.

This is a war which has to be fought in the fields, factories and homes as much as on the battlefield. We strive in the name of Allah: [God is Great] Our hearts respond to the call of All‐o‐Akbar, and we place our trust in the Kalima Lailaha illa‐Allah Muhammadur Rasoolullah [God is one and Mohammed is his prophet].

Bend your energies to your appointed tasks, and Inshallah [God willing], victory shall be ours.

Pakistan paindabad! [Pakistan forever!]