Dawn
20th February 1969
Mujib’s release demanded by Asghar, Murshed, Azam
The three independent leaders, Air Marshal Asghar Khan, Mr S.M. Murshed and LT-Gen Azam Khan have called on President Ayub Khan to release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In separate replies to President Ayub expressing their inability to accept his invitation to attend the proposed political dialogue, they stressed the need to withdraw the Agartala Conspiracy Case which, in the words of justice Murshed, has assumed a paramount importance.
Asghar’s plan
LAHORE, Feb 19: Air Marshal Asghar Khan has called upon President Ayub to agree to adult franchise as a basis for elections to the Presidential office and the legislatures, repeal of the press Ordinance, release of all political prisoners and adequate steps to meet the students’ genuine demands.
The four points have been placed before the president as “suggestions” for implementation while the Air Marshal can discuss with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the question of his participation or otherwise in the round table conference after the latter’s release.
In a telegram to President Ayub here this morning, Air Marshal Asghar Khan said the projected dialogue could serve a useful purpose if the leaders of all political parties attended. As such he pointed out, the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a must.
The Fooling is the text of the Air Marshal’s telegram:
“Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan, president of Pakistan, Rawalpindi. Thank you for your telegram inviting me for talks at Rawalpindi to discuss the political situation. Such talks to be useful must include leaders of important political parties. Therefore, consider the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman essential. Will communicate my reply after Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is released and I have had opportunity to meet him. In the meantime, would suggest that you agree to (1) adult franchise for election of the National and Provincial Assemblies and the President; (2) repeal of Press and publications Ordinance; (3) release of all prisoners involved in political cases; (4) take steps to resolve students’ genuine demands immediately, (Sd) Mohammad Asghar Khan.”
Murshed’s call
LAHORE, Feb 19: Mr. S. M. Murshed former Chief Justice of East Pakistan has called for the withdrawal of the Agartala Conspiracy Case as according to him it was doing a considerable mischief from the point of view of national integration and much needed unity of the country.
In a letter sent by him to President Ayub today, Mr. Murshed said: “My statement which has appeared in the newspapers today (Feb 19) explains the reasons for my non- participation in the Conference convened today.”
“As to the Agartala Conspiracy Case now pending at Dacca, I would like to say that apart from the mooted question of its legality and its continuation after the revocation of the proclamation of emergency, the question of its propriety from the point of view of national expediency has assumed a paramount importance at the present moment for the following amongst other reasons:
“(i) The trial is in my opinion doing a considerable mischief from the point of view of national integration and the much-needed unity of the country:
(ii) The people of both the Wings of Pakistan favour its immediate stoppage:
“(iii) The withdrawal of the case would be a graceful gesture towards national goodwill:
“(iv) It would enable the participation of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the proposed conference.
“I may reiterate that the demands of the students and the DAC be accepted without any further delay and that repressive measures should be stopped forthwith and normal conditions restored.
As this is a matter of great public importance I am releasing the text of this letter to the press.
PROTEST
In an interviewed with PPI in Lahore today Mr. Morshed deplored that bullets meant to guard the country’s frontiers should be used to pierce the breast of the citizens.
“I enter a strong protest against the use of such violent methods which must cease forthwith,” he added.
Giving his reactions to the use of repressive measures in the country, he said no words could adequately condemn the indiscriminate application of Section 144 Cr. P.C. and the imposition of curfew.
Mr. Justice Murshed further supported the decision of the Dacca University academic staff to resort to indefinite strike in protest against the “murder” of the Rajshahi University Reader and injuring of two senior lecturers. He described the staff decision as “the strongest possible condemnation” of this incident.
He said when he left Dacca yesterday, he was sorry to learn about the loss of some valuable lives in Rajshahi including Prof Shamsuzzoha who was a revered teacher. Similarly, bullets had been ringing every day in Dacca Noakhali and other places in the country including Karachi. It was shocking to reflect, he added, that an ironic tragedy had convulsed Pakistan where the sword had neither been able to silence nor to convince the up surge of the people for the reestablishment of their rights. No words could adequately condemn this repression, he said.
Mr. Murshed observed that in this dare hour of distress when Pakistan had been overtaken by such a widespread conflagration, it was the duty of every citizens to see that sanity and normalcy was restored in the country.
Turning to the students struggle, Mr. Justice Murshed said their demands were so just that they should have been accepted long ago. “It is extremely unfortunate that lathis teargas and bullets should violate the sanctity of a campus which is regarded as hallowed everywhere”, he said.
He demanded that such a sacrilege of seats of learning must come to an immediate half.
With a voice surcharged with emotion, the former Chief Justice said: “I am speaking with deepest sense of sorrow and grief and my address is to the country as a whole. Let my country be the judge”.-PPI.
Azam’s demand
LAHORE, Feb 19: Lt-Gen Azam Khan said here today that the attendance of Maulana Bhashani, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mr. Z. A. Bhutto, who were accepted political leaders, at the political parleys convened by President Ayub was vitally important and was a must.
He elaborated at a Press conference his telegraphic reply to President Ayub last night in which he had called for withdrawal of the Agartala Conspiracy Case and representation of small units at the proposed political parlays.
He dismissed the question as hypothetical when he was asked whether he would go to the conference table if the case against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was withdrawn. He said Agartala Case must be withdrawn in the interest of the nation when he was asked whether he being an old general considered the withdrawal of such case an easy matter.
He said various regions like Baluchistan and Sind had their own problems and unless their point of view was presented at the dialogue by the leaders of these regions the conference could not be called properly representative.
When asked whether the Democratic Action Committee and its component parties, plus the independent politicians invited by the President, could not represent the case by small units. Gen Azam said: I am not saving anything against these parties”.
Gen Azam said the struggle of the nation must be properly assessed. It was not a fight between the party in power and the Opposition nor could it be called a law and order problem. It was in fact a life and death struggle of the twulve crore people of Pakistan fighting for the restoration of human dignity liberty and socio-economic justice and the establishment of a truly Islamic State and the fulfillment of the ideology of Pakistan.
The national demand for restoration of Peoples sovereignty voiced through the true representatives of every region, he said is perfectly clear and leaves no ground for bargaining or any compromise of principles.
“We must fulfill the ideology of Pakistan as chalked out for by Quaid-i-Azam so that we build a firm and healthy base for the future progress of this nation through Islamic Principles derived on Quran and Sunnah,” he said.
Gen Azam said real democracy provides the answer to all problems of this country.
He said it was essential to practice democracy and not just preach it. He further stressed that new leadership must emerge from the younger generations.
Referring to the proposed dialogue, he said in order to make the round-table conference successful and able to achieve it objective” it should be made fully representative. To this end invitations should also be extended to regional leaders who can explain at first hand the major problems facing their respective areas. -APP/PPI.
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