Dawn
19th February 1969
Uncertainty due to Mujib’s refusal : DAC discussing situation anew
From M. A. MANSURI
RAWALPINDI, Feb 18: Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, said after the DAC meeting which ended at 2.25 a.m. Wednesday that they will request the Government that they will not be able to attend the round table conference at 10 a.m. Wednesday, as scheduled as they were still holding talks amongst themselves.
The need for the renewed meeting arose after reports reached the DAC leaders assembled here for the talks that the Six-point Awami League chief Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had refused to attend the talks unless the Agartala Conspiracy Case, in which he is the principal accused, was withdrawn.
The eight-party DAC, of which Sheikh Mujib’s party is a component part, had earlier accepted President Ayub’s invitation for talks on the political problems of the country and Sheikh Mujib was nominated as the sole representative of his party at the talks. Although he is undergoing trial in the Conspiracy Case, the Government had agreed to make arrangements to make him available for the talks.
On hearing of the reported decision of Sheikh Mujib, the representatives of the DAC went into a session at 7-30 p.m. Their discussions were continuing till past midnight and a spokesman of the DAC said that the meeting would go on for another 90 minutes or so. He would not even say whether the DAC leaders would go to the conference or not.
In the morning today, the President had announced the names of his team for the talks. A spokesman of the Pakistan Muslim League said tonight that no specific time or arrangement for the talks could be given out until the DAC reached a decision. The Government he added was ready to begin the talks on schedule.
He also said that doors were still open for Sheikh Mujib to come to the conference, and it was possible that he may still come tomorrow or a day after.
A meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League team, which is assisting the President with regard to the talks with the Opposition parties, was held here this inurning.
President Ayub presided over the meeting which had a long discussion on the political situation.
Mr. Qasim malik, MNA, spokesman of the team, said after the meeting that issues which might come up for discussion at the conference were discussed.
Inquiries from official circles indicated that the Government had no intention to withdraw the Agartala conspiracy case. An official source, however, said that by making arrangements for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s presence at the conference, the Government had complied with the request of the DAC executive.
INVITATION DECLINED
Meanwhile, the two non-DAC parties-Maulana Bhashani’s National Awami Party and Mr. Bhautto’s Pakistan People’s Party and the three independent leaders-Air Marshal Asghar Khan, Mr. Justice S.M. Murshed and Lt-Gen Azam Khan-to whom invitations had been issued by the President last night at the suggestion of the DAC, have also declined the invitation.
Late tonight, Khwaja Shahabuddin, senior-most Minister in the Presidential Cabinet, issued a sta-D’CRUZ-February 18, 1969- tement urging these leaders to re-consider their decision not to take part in the conference on vital national problems.” “I hope they will re-consider their decision and join us as the conference proceeds,” he added.
In a separate statement, Mr. Qasim Malik, M.N.A, expressed the hope that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his party would reconsider their decision.
An atmosphere of uncertainty prevailed in political circles throughout the day. Students and young men took out a number of processions in different parts of the city-some of them raising slogans for inclusion of their demands in the talks and against some of the leaders of the DAC components.
Then reports came that Maulana Bhashani and Mr. Bhutto had asked for further clarifications regarding the invitations.
According to an official source, Maulana Bhashani wanted to know the scope of discussions at the conference seeking an assurance that he would be allowed to introduce in the discussions the demands of his party.
A reply was sent to him immediately that the whole range of constitutional and political issues would be open for discussion at the conference and he having been invited as chairman of the NAP could introduce any points he found desirable to help the situation.
Mr. Bhutto, the source said, wanted to know whether he had been invited in his individual capacity or as Chairman of the People’s Party, and a reply was dispatched to him immediately that he was invited as Chairman of the People’s Party.
The Secretary of the DAC Mr. Mahmud Ali had earlier said that while urging the President to invite leaders of parties which were not part of the DAC and some independent leaders the DAC had not made their presence at the conference a precondition. But the report received in the afternoon that Maulana Bhashani had declined the invitation combined with the report of the position taken by Sheikh Mujib caused an apparent disappointment particularly among the East Pakistan members of the DAC.
A little later report came that Mr. Bhutto and Air Marshal Asghar Khan were also reluctant to come for the conference tomorrow.
The parties forming the DAC went into separate consultations and the DAC meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. was delayed.
The situation was also reviewed at the President’s House. Among those present at the unscheduled discussions were Khwaja Shahabuddin and Mr. S. M. Zafar.
সুত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু: পঞ্চম খণ্ড ॥ ষাটের দশক ॥ চতুর্থ পর্ব ॥ ১৯৬৯