YAHYA KHAN POSTPONES ASSEMBLY SESSION INDEFINITELY
DACCA, March 23 (AFP)
PRESIDENT General Yahya Khan Monday postponed indefinitely the meeting of the National Assembly which he had called for March 25.
The Preidential spokesman said General Khan took this action after ‘consultation with leaders of both wings of Pakistan and with a view to facilitating the process of enlarging areas of agreement among political parties’.
The announcement was made after President Yahya Khan conferred jointly with East Pakistan’s Awami League chief Sheik Mujibur Rahman and Pakistan People’s Party leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who drove the short distance from Intercontinental Hotel to the Presidential residence escorted by trucks carrying troops armed with automatic weapons.
Presidential spokesman Q.A. Saeed said the President would postponed his broadcast to the nation, scheduled for Pakistan’s National Day Tuesday.
SHEIKH MUJIB’S COMMENT
Commenting on the announcement, Sheikh Mujibur said: “We have always said that we cannot sit (in the National Assembly) unless our demands are met” He added that the time for his next meeting with the President had not been fixed, but that in the meantime his experts would confer with those of the President.
Sunday night. Sheikh Mujibur made it clear that he would engage in no bilateral talks with Bhutto, who is regarded in East pakistan as a symbol and mouthpiece of Punjabi domination. The Awami League leader appeared slightly tense when reiterating his stand that the assembly could not meet untill the League’s four conditions had been met.
Observers said the reason might be that he now faces the task of restraining his more ardent followers, who are becoming increasingly impatient while the negotations drag on.
Many of them want outright independence. Since the shooting of Bengali civillians by Punjabi soldiers during demonstrations programme which gave the
Awami league a sweeping victory in East Pakistan and a strong majority in Pakistan as a whole in last December’s elections.
UNPREDICTABLE
Although many theories are being offered as to the probable out come of the discussions among political leaders who have come here from West Pakistan, the situation remained unpredictable, observers said. There was no reason to disbelieve Sheikh Mujibur’s repeated declarations that he will not attend the National Assembly until martial law is lifted.
Nor was there any reason to suppose that he will make concessions on the substance of the autonomy demands that won the elections for him and which have the unanimous backing of the population of the Eastern wing of the country. Meanwhile, Bhutto’s presence here has not helped to cool Bengali resentment.
Reference : Indonesian Observer, 24.03.1971