Pakistan Observer
26th February 1969
Asghar, Murshed, Azam will take part in talks: Round table confce opens today
Rawalpindi, Feb. 25:-The Government-Opposition talks will take place tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. at the President guest house, reports APP.
The Democratic Action Committee convenor Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan conveyed the DAC’s decision to attend the parleys to the President Ayub this evening.
Besides 16 representatives of the DAC and 15 members team of the Pakistan Muslim League led by Field Marshal Ayub Khan, three Independent leaders-Air Marshal M. Asghar Khan, Mr. S. M. Murshed and Lt. General Mohammad Azam Khan-will Also attend the parleys.
Air Marshal Asghar Khan and Mr. Murshed attended the DAC meeting towards the evening.
The DAC convenor said that he had a telephonic talk with Gen. Azam Khan who was coming to Rawalpindi from Lahore by the first flight.
Nawabzada Nasrullah said he had no information whether Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, and Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, President of the National Awami Party, or their party representatives would be attending the conference.
He said, there might be some increase in the number of DAC representatives at the conference.
Replying to a question, he said the Six Point Awami League would be represented at the conference by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Syed Nazrul Islam.
The DAC convenor announced the decision on the conference after one and a half hours session of the body this evening. The DAC earlier today met for two hours.
Asked whether the independent leaders would support the DAC view point at the conference. Nawabzada Nasrullah said: “We understand there are no two or opinions as far as the national issues are concerned.”
Asked whether the conference would go into recess for Eidul Azha, he said it would be known after tomorrow’s meeting.
He declined to conference when a correspondent asked whether Six Point of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s, Awami League (now) formed part of the DAC’s programme.
President Ayub Khan had proposed the round table conference with opposition leaders in his first of the month broadcast on February 1, and sent a letter to the DAC convener on February 5 to invite whomsoever he wanted to the talks which he proposed to begin on February 17.
President Ayub agreed to the new date and telegraphically invited Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani. President of the National Awami Party. Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhuto, Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party and independent leaders Air Marshal Asghar Khan, Mr. S.M. Murshed and Lt. Gen. Azam Khan late on the night of February 18 when 23 of the DAC leaders had already reached Rawalpindi.
Maulana Bhashani and Mr. Bhutto had telegraphically asked the President in what capacity they had been invited. They were informed by Khwaja Shahabuddin, the Central information and Broadcasting Minister, that they had been invited as heads of their respective parties.
Meanwhile, the DAC continued holding meetings here which were later faced with a deadlock following the refusal of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to come to Rawalpindi on parole. He demanded withdrawal of the “Agartala conspiracy case.”
On February, 22 the government announced the repeal of the Criminal Law Amendment (Special Tribunal) Ordinance 1968 under which Sheikh Mujibur Rahman alongwith 34 other persons, was being tried. Consequently they were released the same day.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman arrived here last evening from Dacca and attended both the meetings of the DAC today. Pro-Bhashani National Awami Party, after a two day meeting of its working committee in Dacca, announced last night that the round table conference could be fruitful if the eleven point programme of the all party Students Action Committee of East Pakistan was accepted as the basis of talks. It also felt that the talks “may be held only” when the party’s seven of the demands were fulfilled.
Mr. Z. A. Bhutto said about the round table conference in Lahore today that he would not attend it unless the people permitted him to do so and that the National Press was completely freed. Last week, after meeting his partymen in Karachi he announced ten points, the fulfillment of which he said, was necessary to create a proper atmosphere for the conference and make it a precondition for attending the talks.
সুত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু: পঞ্চম খণ্ড ॥ ষাটের দশক ॥ চতুর্থ পর্ব ॥ ১৯৬৯