From Peter Hazelhurst Karachi, March 18

Hopes that the two days of talks between President Yahya Khan and Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, the Bengali lender, would ease the tension between the eastern and western provinces of Pakistan, were dashed today when the Shaikh rejected the President's latest offer to set up a commission of inquiry into the recent clashes in Bengal.

The demand for such an inquiry into cases of shooting by the police and the Army was made by the Shaikh earlier this month when he laid down four preconditions for future constitutional talks with the western province.

After the second round of talks between President Yahya and the Shaikh ended yesterday, the Army made its first gesture to appease the Bengalis, but as expected, the phrasing of the order for an inquiry antagonized the Bengalis and the offer was rejected by Shaikh Mujibur this morning.

The Shaikh said that he objected to the terms of reference of the proposed commission which read: "To inquire into the circumstances which led to the calling out of the Army in aid of the civil powers in East Pakistan."

Commenting on the gesture by the Government, Shaikh Mujibur said: " Such a commission can serve no useful purpose. Indeed, such an inquiry would not at all be a genuine inquiry aimed at arriving at the truth but would be a mere device to mislead people. The people of Bengal shall not cooperate with such a commission in any respect. None shall nominate any member to this commission and none shall serve as its member."

Under the President's order, Mr. A. B. Siddiki, the Chief Justice of East akistan, had been instructed to nominate a judge to head the commission of inquiry. The Shaikh's action today is therefore seen as an instruction to the Chief Justice to defy the President's military Government.

Mr. Justice Siddiki recently refused to administer the oath of allegiance to General Tikka Khan who was nominated as the new governor of East Pakistan earlier this month.

The new crisis is, however, over only a minor issue and other more important ones will have to be resolved if the two wings of Pakistan are to remain together.




Paul Martin writes from Dacca: A constitutional expert has been called in to take part in efforts to bring about a peaceful solution to the Pakistan crisis. He is former Chief Justice A. R. Cornelius, the Justice Minister in the last Pakistan Cabinet.

His close association with the drafting of the legal framework order which established the pattern for the phased return to civilian constitutional rule in Pakistan makes him a potentially important figure should the two sides agree on a formula to end the crisis.

There is reason to believe that his appearance on the scene is an indication that the talks between President Yahya Khan and Shaikh Mujibur Rahman have reached the stage where matters of real substance are under discussion.