Karachi, March 12.--President Yahya Khan arrived here today, presumably on his way to Dacca for talks with Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, whose de facto control of East Pakistan threatens to tear the country apart.

No details of the President's movements were available, but observers believed that he was studying a report by Mr. Muhammad Khurshid, the former Defence Minister, who met Shaikh Mujibur in Dacca last night.

President Yahya would then continue the 2,000-mile journey to East Pakistan, where central authority scarcely exists beyond the airport and areas housing the armed forces,

Shaikh Mujibur is in effective control of the country's eastern wing, which was the scene of bitter fighting last week when the President postponed a meeting of the constituent assembly.—Reuter.


Dacca, East Pakistan, March 12. --Two prisoners were shot dead and 22 were wounded when guards opened fire on rioters trying to escape from Barisal prison, about 170 miles west of Dacca.

Thirty police officers were injured by prisoners wielding iron bars and other weapons.

The riot began when 200 prisoners attacked guards at the jail last night. The police said the prisoners failed in an attempt to smash open the main gate, but 22 escaped after climbing the high boundary wall.

A report from the Comilla district said that four prisoners were killed there and 24 were injured when they made an unsuccessful attempt to escape from jail.

Some 385 prisoners have recently escaped from the jails in Dacca Narayanganj and Barisal.—Reuter.