Mr. Bhutto said: “If we have to go just for formality we are not prepared". Asked if other leaders go there to help Awami League, he said: “Let them go,” adding “but they will have to come back also”.
He, however, said: “I will not come in the way of a constitution made by the National Assembly. Let them frame it with those who go there. The onus and odium will not then fall on Pakistan People's Party,” he added.
He accused the Awami League of applying double standards for constitution. He said for normal procedures of leading to constitution making the party had followed normal democratic principles but for the constitution itself, it did not accept the universal principle of a democratic consensus of all provinces. You can't apply double standard, he declared.
He said dictation or imposition of a constitution on West Pakistan will not be accepted. “We want East and West to live together in equality but that does not mean things should be thrust on us”. Asked if an indication of a compromise was given to him by the Awami League in private and if it did not stand good, he said: “You can always come back”.
Mr. Bhutto said that he had taken the decision after consultations with his party leaders and other political leaders of the West Wing.
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He said that his party had the greatest respect and admiration for the people of East Pakistan, and had in its foundation papers, conceded that the people of East Pakistan had been badly exploited and had a cause to feel aggrieved. It had been even insisted for the removal of the “internal colonial structure,” he added.
The PPP Chief emphasized that if the Awami League had received a mandate on Six Points, in the elections, they should accept the People's Party's position, that it success was based on economic programme and its stand on foreign policy. He stated that his party was convinced that the Six Point programme should be taken on a political basis and not on a “test tube” basis.
His party had abstained from taking any position on the Six Points, during the year-long election campaign, since it felt that a “dialogue” was necessary on them.
Mr. Bhutto also regretted over the failure of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to come to West Pakistan, because of the existence of “vested interests” here, and said that he could personally guarantee “fullest honor and protection” to the Awami League leaders.
Mr. Z.A. Bhutto expressed his party's inability to attend the National Assembly session, beginning from March 3 in Dacca, in the absence of an understanding for “compromise or adjustment” on the six points.
Mr. Bhutto stated that his party had “gone as far as possible” on the issue of Six Points to ensure a viable constitution for the country. But, in the present circumstances, they would not be going to Dacca to frame a constitution but to “accept” a constitution.
