DACCA, Pakistan, Oct. 7—A former commander of the Pakistani Air Force announced here yesterday that his party would contest forthcoming by‐elections for National Assembly seats in East Pakistan, but his announcement was censored from the local press.

Mohammad Asghar Khan, a retired air marshal and leader of the small United People's Movement, made his announcement at a news conference.

Air Marshal Asghar Khan, who is from West Pakistan, called for maximum autonomy for the provinces within a united Pakistan and the end of what he described as economic exploitation of East Pakistan.

He also called for land reform, free education, free press and guarantees that “people of all areas, regardless of religion, race, caste or creed, enjoy equal rights and privileges and that these rights are in no circumstances restricted or usurped.”

Censorship Is Denied

Pakistani reporters at the meeting said that originally they had been prohibited from attending but that finally they were told to appear but to submit their articles for censorship. Apparently the censors found nothing printable.

The martial‐law authorities, who have said repeatedly that there is no press censorship, reiterated this claim in newspapers published today. They also denied that mail to East Pakistan from Britain was seized by censors.

At the news conference, Air Marshal Asghar Khan said that his program was wholly in line with the concept of a strong, united Pakistan and that he saw no reason for censorship of his remarks.

His party has no perceptible popular base in East Pakistan and even in West Pakistan it failed to win any seats in the election last December. Its leaders said that he did not know whether he would run for a seat now.

Filling Empty Seats

The by-elections are scheduled in East Pakistan in November and December because almost all the seats at stake in the previous election were won by the Bengali nationalists' Awami League, which was banned March 25 when the army occupied East Pakistan. Political observers believe that fewer than two dozen of those assemblymen-elect still eligible to take their seats will show up.

Air Marshal Ashgar Khan caused a political stir Sept. 26 when he announced at another news conference - also censored by the Government - that he favored an amnesty for everyone not charged with such crimes as murder and looting.