Dawn
17th April 1966
BHUTTO, MUJIB DEBATE OFF
Paucity of time chief reason
DACCA, April 16: The Foreign Minister Mr. Z. A. Bhutto said here last night that he was disappointed that a confrontation meeting between him and the Awami league leader Shaikh Mujibur Rahman could not be arranged, despite all his cooperation.
In a statement last night, he said after a detailed discussion both sides agreed that it was just not feasible to make all the necessary arrangements for such an important meeting in so short a time.
As both sides, he added, were fully satisfied that there were perfectly understandable reasons for not holding the meeting on April 17, it was agreed by all that a joint statement would be issued by office-bearers of both the parties, stating that it was not possible to convene such an important meeting on account of paucity of time.
But the Foreign Minister said, he was surprised to hear that a separate statement had been issued by the General Secretary of the East Pakistan Awami League, which did not give a factual version of what transpired.
NOT POSSIBLE
Mr Bhutto said in the interest of an early meeting he co-operated in every way to comply with the condittions laid down by the Awami League. The factual narration conformed by both the parties in a meeting yesterday afternoon clearly demonstrated that with all the good intentions and earnestness it was not possible to arrange a joint meeting on April 17.
He said the fact that a meeting could not be arranged on this occasion did not mean that he had. in any way, retracted from his position to confront Shaikh Mujibur Rahman.
BHUTTO’S STATEMENT
Following is the text of the statement issued by Mr. Bhutto last night :
“The chronological and bare facts relating to the public confrontation on the six points are:
A Press statement of Shaikh Mujibur Rahman appeared on the 14th in which he agreed to hold a public meeting on the 24th of April under the joint sponsorship of the General-Secretary of the Muslim League and the General Secretary of the East Pakistan Awami League. He further suggested that he was prepared to meet me earlier.
“I issued a statement on the same day expressing my willingness to meet him on the 17th as on the 19th. I was to leave for Ankara. I sent a telegram to the General-Secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League in Rawalpindi, requesting him to come immediately to Dacca to to arrange the meeting under the joint sponsorship of the two parties, as suggested by Shaikh Mujibur Rahman. On the same day. I received a letter from Mr Tajuddin Ahmad stating three conditions for the meeting :
3 CONDITIONS
(1) “The venue of the public meeting should be the Outer Stadium, popularly known as Paltan Maiddan”.
(2) “The time of the meeting should be four in the afternoon of April 17, 1966″.
(3) “The public meeting should be jointly organised by the Awami League and the Muslim League”. “He also suggested that the meeting should be presided over by a judge of the High Court. Mr Tajuddin met me the same evening”. “On account of the shortage of time, Mr Tajuddin volunteered to withdraw the earlier suggestion regarding the role of the Secretary-General of the Pakistan Muslim League, and in his place suggested the Provincial Secretary-General for the purpose of jointly co-ordinating the arrangements for the meeting”. “When the Chief Justice of the Dacca High Court was contacted on the 15th morning, he expressed the judiciary’s inability to associate itself with a political meeting. Hence, this suggestion of the Awami League could not be implemented.
“Approximately at 12.30 p.m. Mr Tajuddin met me again to finalise the procedure for the meeting. Also present were a number of Muslim League officials and Mr Zahirudin, joint Secretary, Awami League. After a detailed discussion, both sides agreed that it was just not feasible to make all the necessary arrangements for such an important meeting in so short a time”.
UNDERSTANDABLE
“As both sides were fully satisfied that there were perfectly understandable reasons for not holding the meeting on the 17th, it was agreed by all present that a joint statement would be issued by the office-bearers of both parties, stating that it was not possible to convene such an important meeting on account of the paucity of time.
“We adjourned on this note of complete agreement between all the persons present at the meeting. I am, therefore, surprised to hear that a separate statement has been issued by the GeneralSecretary of the East Pakistan Awami League, which does not give a factual version of what transpired.
“I reiterate that in the interest of an early meeting. I cooperated in every way to comply with conditions laid down by the Awami League in Shaikh Mujibur Rahman’s statement of the 14th, as well as in Mr Tajuddin’s letter of the same date.
“This factual narration confirmed by both the parties in this afternoon’s (Friday) meeting clearly demonstrates that with all the good intentions and earnestness it was not possible to arrange a joint meeting on the 17th of this month.
“The fact that a meeting could not be arranged on this occasion does not mean that I have, in any way, retracted from my position to confront Shaikh Mujibur Rahman. On the Contrary, I am disappointed that this meeting could not be arranged, despite all my co-operation. – APP.
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