YAHYA SENDS MESSAGE TO MUJIBUR
Dacca to Declare Independence from Karachi- Asghar
KARACHI,- President Yahya Khan was Thursday reported to have sent a message to East Pakistani leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, head of the autonomist Awami League.
The envoy was believed to be M. Khurshid, an Awami League leader from west Pakistan and a former Defence Secretary.
The President will await an answer to his latest proposals this weekend before going to Dacca to meet Sheikh Mujibur next week, sources said.
In spite of the strong separitist stand of the Awami leader, many West Pakistani politicians showed their support for the party and its demands for an end to martial law and immediate transfer of power to elected representatives.
An editorial in the Karachi press remarked that the Sheikh, who is expected to become Prime Minister in the event of a civilian government, would have to choose some representatives from West Pakistan.
Awami Leage Wins majority
The Awami League won an overall majority in the last general elections.
Many previous opponents of the league’s six-point autonomist programme now support it, allthough it was attacked violently two years ago by those who claimed it would mean the complete disintegration of Pakistan observers noted.
Wednesday, Sheikh Rahman alleged that the “ruling coterie” was trying to ruin the economy of East Pakistan.
They claimed that a state of emergency would be maintained to stop the work of development and rehabilitation in the areas affected by last November’s cyclons.
The martial law authorities in Dacca
claimed that the army was exercising utmost restraint in the face of “provocations by unruly mobs” and warned that if supplies continued to be impeded, the situation “would be dealt with firmly”.
Khurshid flies to Dacca Reuter reported the Punjabi (West Pakistan) Awami League Party leader, Khurshid, flew to Dacca Thursday after meeting President Yahya Khan Wednesday.
Observers here speculated that Khurshid, a former Defence Minister, might act as a presidential emissary to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Awami League leader in East Pakistan, who has taken over effective control of much of the state in the name of Bengali natonalism.
West Pakistan political leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto offered Wednesday night to visit Dacca to resume talks with Sheikh Mujib in an attempt, he said, to reach a common understanding.
Marshal Asgar’s warning
A leading member of Pakistan’s military establishment warned here Thursday that of
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power were not transferred within five or six days to East Pakistan’s Awami League the province would almost certainly declare independence from West Pakistan.
Air Marshal Asghar Khan, who played a major role in the overthrow of former President Ayub Khan two years ago, said Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman is unable to keep the country united Air Marshal Ashgor told a press conference here.
His warning came shortly after reports here that President Yahya Khan had sent a message to Sheikh Mujibur.
Contents of the message were not disclosed but it was reported that the President would await an answer before going to Dacca for a scheduled meeting with the Sheikh next week.
Eastern province separated
It was believed here that the President’s message had been delivered personally to Sheikh Mujibur by former Defence Minister M. Kurshid, an Awami League leader in West Pakistan.
Air Marshal Asghar speaking to newsmen here after returning from Dacca, said Thursday that Sheikh Mujibur was under great pressure to declare independence from West Pakistan but that so far he had been able to control his more extremist supporters and had acted with great moderation.
East Pakistan felt genuinely insulted over the adjournment of the National Assembly session due to draw up a new constitution for the country after the recent elections, in which the Awami League won a large majority the Air Marshal said.
He claimed the Eastern province was already “Mentally” separated from West Pakistan with Sheikh Mujibur in the role of de facto ruler giving orders to senior civil servants and other officials- AFP.
Reference : The Djakarta Times, 18.03.1971