Bhutto speaks of two majority parties

Syed Badrul AhsanSyed Badrul Ahsan
Published : 14 March 2016, 06:36 AM
Updated : 14 March 2016, 06:36 AM

A new move was made by Z.A. Bhutto. On March 14, the Pakistan People's Party Chairman added fuel to the fire by demanding that power be transferred to the Awami League in East Pakistan and to the PPP in West Pakistan since, in his view, there were two majority parties in the country. Addressing a public meeting at Nishtar Park in Karachi, he asked how democratic principles could be applicable to a country divided into two distant parts. He said that he advocated one Pakistan, but for the rule of the majority to apply over the whole country, the Awami League would have to drop its Six Point plan first. Bhutto denied that his party had placed any preconditions before it would agree to join the National Assembly. He said that the PPP had only wanted assurances from the Awami League that its views would also be heard when the assembly was finally convened. He noted that he was prepared to visit Dhaka for talks with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Meanwhile, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, a prominent politician and tribal leader of Baluchistan, urged President Yahya Khan to visit East Pakistan at the earliest and transfer power immediately to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He told newsmen at a press conference that on his recent visit to Dhaka, he had had thorough discussions with East Pakistani political leaders and had come to the conclusion that it was only Moulana Bhashani and no one else who wanted East Pakistan to break away from the rest of the country. About Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bugti said that the Awami League chief wanted to keep the country united but at the same time wanted the rights of all nationalities in Pakistan to be upheld.

On the same day, Begum Tahira Masood, a leading figure in the Bahawalpur United Front, called upon the regime to lift martial law without delay and transfer power to the elected representatives of the people. She severely condemned Z.A. Bhutto over his provocative statements and undemocratic attitude and expressed the view that history would never forgive the PPP leader for having pushed Pakistan to such an impasse. She extended all-out support for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the 32,00,000 people of Bahawalpur.