1971-02-21
Page: 8
KARACHI, Pakistan, Feb. 21 —The President of Pakistan, Gen. Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan, today announced the dis solution of his 10‐member Cabinet, effective tomorrow.
In a communique issued in Rawalpindi, the capital, he said the move had been made “in view of the political situation in the country.”
The President's move came as political leaders in East and West Pakistan — separated by more than 1,000 miles of Indian territory—took virtually irreconcilable positions on drafting the country's new constitution.
A 313‐member National Assembly, popularly elected in December, is to meet in Dacca, East Pakistan's capital, on March 3 to frame the country's new constitution.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose East Pakistani party, the Awami League, has 167 seats in assembly, insists that the constitution must give full regional autonomy to the East.
Leaders of practically all political parties from West Pakistan in the assembly—especially Zulfikar All Bhutto, chair man of the left‐wing Pakistan Peoples party, which has 82 seats—maintain that this would cause the country to disintegrate.
Mr. Bhutto has said that his party would not attend the assembly session unless it was assured that the West's point of view on the constitution will be considered.