Begum Akhtar hits out at Yahya
MOGA (Punjab), Sept. 7 Begum Akhtar , daughter of the late Hassan Shaheed Suhrawardy has described Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a “true follower” of her father and founder of the Awami League.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his followers were working for the restoration of democratic setup and integration of Pakistan, the Begum said in an interview published in the Urdu weekly “Wa…an” of London.
Begum Akhtar said not only Sheikh Mujibur but late late Mr. Tafazal Hassain editor of Ite-faq. Mr. Zahirudin, Mr Attaur Rahman Nawabzada Nasar Rashid Caudhary were also true follower of Mr Suhrawardy.
for showdown with Yahya
LAHOR, September, 7 PAKISTN People’s Party Chairman Z. A. Bhutto has told President Yahya Khan that his party would not supports an army-imposed constitution, according to party sources here.
This stand opens up the way for a confrontation between the two men.
A similar confrontation between Gen. Yahya Khan and Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, leader of the Awami League had led to the arrest of the Sheikh and the emergence of the Bengla Desh movement.
Mr. Bhutto has not so far revealed the demands he mad on a series of meeting he had with Gen. Yahya Khan last month and the month before, but party sources said he wanted the president to change the conditions outlined in his broadcast of June 28 in which be promised the start of transfer of power from the military to civilians in four months.
In the June broadcast Gen. Yayha Khan said the National Assembly would not be required to write a constitution. Instead, he would produce his own constitution after consulting political and civic leaders.
The National Assembly, which would operate under the constitution, would have the power to amend it later.
Party sources said that in his talks with Gen. Yahya Khan Mr. Bhutto sought an assurance that under the new constitution he could carry out “radical” changes in the economy.
‘Not sure’
The sources said that in view of this Mr. Bhutto was not sure if Gen. Yahya Khan would turn over power to the PPP.
Party leaders quote Maj. Gen. Ghulam Omar, secretary of the National security Council and one of the half a dozen generals, believed to be making the decisions with Gen. Yahya Khan, as assuring friends the PPP would not be given power.
Gen. Omar was not available for comment.
The party sources said they were not sure what Gen. Yahya Khan planned “We told him we did not like his June 28 speech,” said one o them. He told us he really did not mean what he had said.”
They believed that Gen. Yahya Khan should eventually recognize the election results in West Pakistan.
They said Gen. Yahya Khan would be courting unrest if he did not give the PPP the power it demanded “Maybe the President might put Bhutto in the cell next to Sheikh Mujib’s” said one suspicious party leader. “That would be the start of a grand alliance against the President — AP.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 8.9.1971