Shaikh’s tough terms for President Yahiya
The two provinces of East and West Pakistan drifted further down the path towards separation over the weekend after leaders of both wings outlined almost impossible preconditions for constitutional negotiations.
Addressing one million Bengalis at a rally in Dacca, the capital of the eastern wing. Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of the Awami League said that he would enter the Constituent Assembly only if president Yahya Khan met four new demands.
They are the immediate transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people; the withdrawal of martial law; the return of troops to their barracks; and an inquiry into the “mass killings” in East Pakistan.
The Shaikh’s speech was in reply to yesterday’s hard-hitting speech by the president in which he withdrew his original order postponing the National Assembly
The President, who said that the Assembly would now convene on March 25, warned Shaikh Mujibur Rahman that he would use the Pakistan Army to prevent the disintegration of the country. He said that the nation’s constitution would have to be framed according to the legal order under which he will have the right to ratify or reject the document.
In an unfortunate coincidence Mr. Z. A Bhutto, the West Pakistan Leader, met President Yahya Khan on the eve of his broadcast to the nation yesterday, and their talk were seen by Bengali, as another conspiracy to preserve the western provinces interests.
At the same time, the President appointed one of the Punjabi hawks in the Army. Lieutenant-General Tikka Khan, as Governor of the Eastern province.
Mr. Bhutto, who precipitated the constitutional crisis when he decided to boycott last week’s projected inaugural session of the Constituent Assembly, has now decided to attend the session when and if it opens in Dacca on March 25.
Shaikh Mujibur told the cheering Bengalis in Dacca to day that a non-cooperation movement would be launched throughout the province tomorrow. All Government offices will be closed and no taxes or rents will be paid until East Pakistan’s four new preconditions for constitutional negotiations were conceded by the President.
There are now three options open to the Government. It could arrest Shaikh Mujibur and crack down on Bengal.
The second option would be for the military Government to call for third party arbitration and a judicial panel to convene the Assembly.
As a third choice, the country has 20 days still to resolve the crisis and Mr. Bhutto and the other leaders in the western wing might be persuaded to make an imaginative gesture towards the eastern province.
Reference: The Times, 9.3.71