LONDON PRESS HAS LOW OPINION OF YAHYA’S PLAN
Though well meaning, the long awaited proposals by Pakistan’s President Yahya Khan would hardly meet the emotional needs of East Pakistan, The Times said in an editorial Tuesday.
What was necessary in the face of the despair and hatred in East Pakistan was surely some magnanimity rather than the carefully hodged promises made Monday, the paper said.
“Surely something more generous in spirit than a constitution drafted by an expert committee”.
The Times added : “Nothing was said Monday that might turn the tide of bitter resentment at what has been done”.
The Editorial continued : “President Yahya Khan is right to stick to his view that the only solution must be a political one. Unfortunately everything that has been done in the past three months in East Pakistan has made that solution more difficult.”
What is needed now is surely some measure of good will towards the Bengali populaton of East Pakistan that will encourage them to think that peaceful compromise might be possible instead of clinging to hopes of guerrila warfare with all the added suffering that more fighting would bring. The Times said.
The Daily Telegraph said editorially: “President Yahya, dropping the Constituent Assembly, has set up a committee to draft a constitution for a return to civilian rule in four months or 60- but longer if the internal and external situation is not propitious. There seems little hope that either will be.”
“He praises the army for its suppression of the threatened secession, and while promising maximum provincial autonomy, makes it clear that central control will be much stronger than in the compromise rejected by Sheikh Mujib, the Eastern leader who won the election and is now in prison.”
Reference : The Djakarta Times, 01.07.1971