62. As the witnesses examined in East Pakistan gave us the impression that they had very strong feelings in this matter and felt very much aggrieved. We, at first, thought of going into the question fully in order to determine which of these versions was true. But, on further consideration, we gave up that idea, as we felt that an inquiry at this stage would do greater harm than good. Prejudice which seems to have taken root, can, we think, be removed more by practical steps taken to dispel doubt and suspicion than by any verdict we can record on the events in the past. As for the work of development here is the second five year plan, in which the respective spheres of development in the East and the West are clearly indicated, and we have been told on behalf of government that a scheme of devolution of funds had already been drawn up which would speed up the sanctioning of expenditure. The idea, which seems to have gained ground in some quarters in West Pakistan that the people of East Pakistan would ultimately secede from the West should be dispelled as, in the nature of things, the average Muslim of East Pakistan cannot be thinking of placing himself in the position in which he was prior to Independence. Similarly, East Pakistanis should be assured that it is no true that West Pakistan does not care for them or their interests: Unfortunately, a few instances of indiscretion, on the part of a few officers in the early years of Pakistan, created this impression amongst the intelligentsia, which seems to have been kept alive by certain parties bent on promoting friction between the two wings. To restore mutual trust and confidence between these wings, a system facilitating frequent visits by the various strata of intelligentsia from one side to the other would be, in our opinion, of great help. Similarly, frequent visits by the students, of either wing to the other, will also help in the removal of misunderstanding.
63. But ail these measures will take time to produce results and, till that stage is reached, the present state of feeling cannot possibly be ignored. Persons who advocated the unitary form of government regard the adoption of the federal form that existed at the time of the Revolution, or even before the late constitution, as an adverse step as far as the relations between the two provinces are concerned, and they think that the unitary form is the solution. According to them, these prejudices will disappear if there is one uniform administration all over the country, whereas, if the old system is revived, the provincial feeling well gain strength. We are unable to agree with this view. There are two points which the framers of a constitution should always keep in view. One is that the scheme devised should be workable and the other that those for whom it is intended should be prepared to make it work. Any constitution lacking in these qualities will not be successful. It is our considered opinion that if we impose a unitary form ignoring the state of feeling in East and West Pakistan we would be driving the average Muslim of East Pakistan into the arms of the extremists and the disruptive elements which are active in that province. A veteran political leader, who is respected in all circles, stated before us-
“....if the Centre can satisfy the people and remove the distrust then unitary form of government may work, but so long as this lack of trust remains, the federal form is the proper form.”
He was in favor of following the late Constitution as regards the distribution of powers. The fact that 65.5% of opinion is in favor of a federal form is an indication of
