বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (দ্বিতীয় খণ্ড)/১৩৪
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| নির্ধারিত তারিখে নির্বাচন অনুষ্ঠানের ঘোষণায় ইয়াহিয়া খান | মর্নিং নিউজ | ২৮ নভেম্বর, ১৯৭০ |
POLLS ON SCHEDULE
EAST PAKISTAN MUST HAVE MAXIMUM AUTONOMY
President Yahya Khan's Remarks at Press Conference
in Dacca on November 27. 1970.
President General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan told a Press Conference in Dacca last evening that general elections in the country will be held on schedule.
“Elections will take place” was his answer to a question by a foreign correspondent who wanted to know if the general elections would be postponed in view of demands by some political parties.
As for schedule of elections in the eight or nine constituencies which have been affected by the cyclone, the President said he had left the question to be decided by the Chief Election Commissioner.
The Election Commission, he said, was an independent body and the Chief Election Commissioner was already here to assess the situation to decide when to hold elections in the cyclone affected areas.
Replying to another question on how delayed the elections in the affected constituencies could be, the President explained that there was already a gap between the National and Provincial Assembly elections. Provincial Assembly elections, he pointed out, was not so important in the sense that the Provincial Assemblies will be operative only after the Constituent Assembly had framed a constitution. If the elections in the cyclone affected constituencies were postponed, the polls there would be like by- elections.
Martial Law to continue if constitution goes beyond LFO
Replying to another question the President said he would summon the National Assembly “as soon as possible”. The stipulated period of 120 days for framing the constitution would begin from the day the session begins, he told another questioner.
During the Press Conference at the Darbar Hall of the Governor's House the President replied to a score of question on election, relation between two wings and his opinion on the issue of Provincial autonomy.
He said he would not stand in the way of maximum autonomy for the people of East Pakistan. He said he would rather encourage it so that people of East Pakistan could have “full charge of their destiny, planning and utilization of its resources” within the “concept of Pakistan”.
He said although East Pakistan was one of the five provinces, because of its geographical distance of over thousand miles from the other wing it must have maximum autonomy to run her own affairs within the overall framework of one Pakistan. “After all 1 do not want to have five Pakistans”.
The President was asked to comment on Six-Point Programme and the correspondent wanted to know if it would finally lead to separation between the two wings of Pakistan.
The President said he was not concerned with six or any other points. What was imperative was that people of East Pakistan have a lot more say in their affairs than they had so far.
Replying to a question by another foreign correspondent the President said he did not believe there was any tendency of separatism in East Pakistan. They are the majority. How can a majority separate from a minority, he asked.
When the correspondent referred to criticism of West Pakistan in this province, and said he could interpret this as a tendency for separatism the President “if you would have heard anything as such, this would not be the voice of my people”. He said the people of East Pakistan were emotionally hurt because of the disaster which was only normal.
When a correspondent asked if the criticism of West Pakistan in East Pakistan did not put the continuing unity of the country to danger, the President said: I hope it is not. He said he did not want to defend the people of West Pakistan. But the fact was that there was an emotional upsurge there over this terrible disaster in East Pakistan.
He said he knew of one instance in which a weeping old woman had donated her life's savings made for performing the hajj towards the relief of the cyclone-affected people. He said even small children were moving throughout the days to raise donations for the victims of the catastrophe. East Pakistan were aware of this. He said he knew that vast majority of the people of this brotherly feeling that the people of West Pakistan had for them. It was only those who had lust for power who talked of such things.
He appealed to such leaders to have a broad national view. Nobody should take political advantage from such a situation.
Replying to a question on the Constitution, the President made if clear that Martial Law would continue if the proposed Constitution was not framed in conformity with the five basic principles contained in the Legal Framework Order.
The President said the general elections were being held under LFO an instrument of Martial Law and all political parties are taking part in the elections after its acceptance.
If after the elections they (parties) refuse to accept the LFO, as far as I am concerned I will take it that they have not taken pan in the elections. Martial Law continues and it shall continue.
At one point the President was asked if the criticism against his Government regarding relief operation had been politically motivated. General Yahya said he was not an aspirant or participant in politics. He said the people of Pakistan must form their own Government. He was under obligation only to see that the proposed constitution assured integrity, safety and security of the country.
He said that the sovereignty will be given to the National Assembly only when he has handed over the power. Until then everything is under cover and umbrella of Martial Law.
The President who on a number of occasions advised the critics of his Government to “come to power as quickly as possible through elections", said he would like to hand over the responsibility of the administration to the people's Government as soon as possible. “I want to hand over power to people's Government. I am a soldier, and I want to go back to soldiering”.
President's attention was drawn by foreign correspondents to criticisms by political leaders and the national. Press on the relief operation. IIc said I accept these criticisms from my people. My only request is that they be constructive.
Criticism of the Central Government by political leaders came in for quick retorts from the president. When a foreign correspondent wanted President's comment on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's allegation of “criminal negligence” on the part of the Central Government, General Yahya said: I did not bring the cyclone. It was not my fault. My fault begins taking shape only when I do not do anything for the surviving people.
When another correspondent referred to Sheikh Mujib's charges of callous-ness on the part of the “guilty bureaucrats", the President said his advice would be: Let them come to power as quickly as possible.
About Awami League leader's assertion that a quick move by the Pakistan Navy could have saved many lives, the President said the allegation arose out of lack of information. “I hope they come to power and do better. I have tried to do my maximum”.