KARACHI, PAKISTAN.-President Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan said today that he was determined to bring about "an orderly transfer of power" to a civilian government. General Yahya told a group of foreign correspondents at the presidential mansion here that he would present a plan for doing so in "two or three weeks."

"I have been saying for the past two years that it [the transfer] would happen," he declared, "and last December [when elections for a constitutional assembly were held] I said, 'By God, I've done lt.'

"Well, I'll still do It even though some of my countrymen don't like the idea. They say: 'What the hell's going on? This will lead to chaos.'

"But I am determined on an orderly transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people."

MARCH MEETING PLANNED

The National Assembly elected last December was to have met March 3 to start to write a constitution that would return Pakistan to civilian rule. But General Yahya postponed the session when the Pakistan People's party, the dominant political group of West Pakistan, which had won only a minority role in the assembly, said it would not attend.

A series of protest strikes followed in East Pakistan, whose principal party, the Awami League, had captured a commanding majority in the assembly on a platform of regional autonomy.

General Yahya was asked today if his plan for an "orderly transfer of power" would also apply to the Awami League, which led the Bengali separatist movement in East Pakistan. The league was outlawed in the early stages of the army crackdown, which began on March 26. The President replied that the Awami League, as a political party, would "remain forever banned."

But he said that many members of the Awami League had been misled by the separatist cause and were welcome to assume their functions as representatives later. "Some people have spoken of a general amnesty for the Awami League," the President said.

"For those who were genuinely misled all right, but for those who committed rebellion murder, looting, raping and arson, no. I shall deal with those criminals." Today's meeting was the first President Yahya has had with the foreign press since the military action began in East Pakistan.

He spoke particularly bitterly about Sheik Mujibur Rahman leader of the Awami League, who is now believed to be imprisoned on charges of treason.

"He was plotting against me," the President said. "He even tried to have me arrested, I hear he confessed that himself."

"What did he have to lose, for God's sake? I offered him the Prime Ministry on a silver platter and he refused It, always talking of separate legislatures for East and West Pakistan and so forth."

"I'll be damned if I'll see Pakistan divided," the President added.

Asked about the fate in store for Sheik Mujib, the President replied: "Why is that of any interest to you? Sheik Mujib is a citizen of Pakistan and the Government of Pakistan will deal with him as it sees fit."

WON'T WHIP UP FRENZY

On the subject of Pakistan's hostile relations with India, the President said that "in their heart of hearts they [the Indians] don't want war," and added, "I could whip up a frenzy for war very quickly in my country but I refuse to do so."

Touching on the severe strains on recent relations between Pakistan and the United States, President Yahya said that he had recently received a letter from President Nixon.

"It was a very warm, kind personal letter In which Mr. Nixon offered to do anything he could to help," he said. Today's meeting at the presidential mansion was held primarily for the 10 correspondents who are being permitted to enter East Pakistan tomorrow for a four-day visit. They represent United Press International, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, the West German news agency D.P.A., Agence France-Presse, Le Monde, Far Eastern Economic Review, the Kyodo news agency and Asahi Shimbun and Yomimuri Shimbun of Tokyo.

This is the second such trip since all foreign correspondents were expelled from East Pakistan March 26. The New York Times was represented on the first trip earlier this month.

The President said that after the latest group returned all foreign correspondents would be invited to go to East Pakistan. He also asserted that censorship of dispatches sent by foreign correspondents in Pakistan had been lifted since the first trip to East Pakistan. A number of correspondents here have complained of many deletions in their copy since then, however, and all press cablegrams still must be approved by a Government censor.