YAHYA POSTPONES ASSEMBLY AGAIN

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32562, 23 March 1971, Page 13

YAHYA POSTPONES ASSEMBLY AGAIN

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyrisht) NEW DELHI, March 22. President Yahya Khan announced today that he had again postponed the Pakistan National Assembly’s opening session due to start in Dacca on Thursday, Radio Pakistan reported.

The radio said that the announcement made by the President in Dacca set no new date for the session.

The announcement came after a meeting between the President of the East Pakistan Awami League leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the West Pakistan People’s Party chairman, Mr Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, at the President’s house in Dacca this morning. The Assembly had originally been due to meet on March 3, but was postponed because of differences between the sheikh, victor in East Pakistan in the recent National Assembly elections, and Mr Bhutta, whose party is the strongest in the west.

After the first postponement, the sheikh launched a non-co-operation movement in the eastern wing, demanding greater autonomy for the province. Developments have lead to fears of a break between the east and west

The joint meeting today was the first time the three leaders had met together in a bid to work out a solution to the political crisis. Tomorrow is Pakistan Day,

fifteenth anniversary of the proclamation of Pakistan as an Islamic republic, and the traditional date of the President’s message to the nation. For militant supporters of Sheikh Mujibur, Pakistan Day will be “resistance day” in Dacca. They are demanding that their new “bangla desh” flag be flown from every building.

Their animosity for Mr Bhutto was shown last night when he was stuck in a lift at his hotel and angry crowds surged forward with placards reading “Bhutto Political Bastard.” Troops with automatic weapons guard him every-

where he goes and stand by all over the city.