CONSTITUTION TO BE BASED ON 6 AND 11 POINTS
REITERATION BY AWAMI LEAGUE WORKING COMMITTEE
SUMMONING OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY A STEP FORWARD
A report on the
on February 14, 1971
The Working
Committee of the East Pakistan Awami League today noted with satisfaction that
the National Assembly had been convened by the President to meet on March 3 and
considered it has a step forward towards achieving the goal of
Constitution-making.
The Working Committee which met here with the Party
Chief, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in the chair, discussed at length the economic
and political situation and matters relating to the framing of Constitution.
The Working Committee did not formally adopt any resolution, but the Party
Secretary, Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed, briefed newsmen at the end of its four-hour
deliberations.
The Working Committee reiterated its determination
to frame the Constitution on the basis of Awami League's six-point programme
and the Student Action Committee's 11-point programme. It also discussed the
outline of the Constitution that the party would introduce in the National
Assembly in the form of a Bill. Mr. Tajuddin pointed out that the constitution
would be framed on the basis of the outline-the basic principles as he called
it. The peculiar problems of certain regions of West Pakistan had to be
examined in the light of discussions with the
Mr. Tajuddin said they were worried over the delay
in convening the National Assembly. There was good reason for this anxiety. He
said President Yahya Khan was committed to call the National Assembly Session.
It must be said to the credit of the President that he had so far not backed
out of any commitment and fulfilled all. So when there was delay in calling the
Session of the National Assembly there must have been some reason for it, Mr.
Tajuddin said.
Plane Hijacking
The Working Committee also discussed at length the hijacking
of Indian aircraft and its subsequent blowing up and the developments that
followed, including the Indian ban on overflights of Pakistani aircraft over
her territory. Asked if the Working Committee discussed the hijacking of Indian
plane, Mr. Tajuddin replied in the affirmative and said "it is a vital
matter which has led us to a state of confrontation with
The Party Chief, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is expected
to deliver a major policy statement spelling out the stand of Awami League on
constitutional issue to-morrow.
About the constitution, he will reiterate the
declared party stand that it must be based on six and eleven-point, but
possibly with a more firm voice.
Awami League as the majority party in the National
Assembly considers itself fully competent to frame the constitution. It
welcomes co-operation from all in order that there is a consensus, but is
unmistakably clear in its mind that such co-operation should come on the clear
and explicit understanding that the sixpoint programme is the basis of the
constitution.
* * *
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took the Working Committee
into confidence on the talks he has so far held with the West Pakistani leaders,
including the People's Party Chief, Mr. Z. A. Bhutto, Mr. Tajuddin briefing
newsmen said the Working Committee was fully satisfied with the manner in which
these talks were conducted by the Awami League leaders.
The Working Committee expressed grave anxiety over
the deteriorating economic situation, especially in
The Working Committee of the All-Pakistan Awami
League met this evening under the presidentship of Sheikh MuJibur Rahman. West
Pakistani leaders of the Awami League, who are on the Central Working
Committee, were present in the meeting.
* * *
(The Dawn,
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