The first phase of the mass tripartite repatriation programma of prisoners of war between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh was completed on Saturday (29 September 1973). Over two days, 1,688 Pakistan were returned to their country at the border post of Wagah. They has spent 21 months in Indian detention camps. Among them was a dead baby girl, who International Red Cross officials said had suffocated during the 600-mile (1,000 ks) train journey to the border. Seventy-four were military personnel, many of whom were sick and were carried across on stretchers.

Altogether, 300,000 people will be repatriated to the three countries over the next few months. The arrangements were made under an agreement signed in New Delhi in August. A second batch of 1,680 will be repatriated next Wednesday and Thursday.

SYNOPSIS: At the Wagah border post between India and Pakistan, the first phase of the exchange of prisoners-of-war was completed on Saturday. Over two days, sixteen-hundred and eight-eight Pakistanis were returned to their country, the first of ninety-three-thousand who are being repatriated during the coming months.

Including the recharge with Bangladesh, three-hundred-thousand people displaced by the 1971 war will new be abe to return home, after twenty-one months in detention camps.

Among the returning Pakistanis, only seventy-four were military personnel. This Army Captain was given a warm welcome by his brother officers at the border post. Other soldier prisoners will have to wait will the later stages. The second phase in scheduled to take place later this week.

The returned detainee will append some days in reception camps before going home. Military and Government Personnel will be given two months paid leave. The repatriates were all brought from camps around Allahabad is Northern Indian. But for this three-month-old-baby, conceives and b???ra in camp, the ???-hundred mile journey was to long to endorse. She was dead on arrival at Wagah, apparently form suffocation. Her body was burns across the border by officer, and followed by her grieving mother, to the strains of the welcoming bands.