| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| ১৩৭। পুর্ব পাকিস্তানের সংকটের উপর কিছু প্রশ্ন ও পাকিস্তান সরকারের জবাব | সরকারী প্রচার পুস্তিকা | জুন, ১৯৭১ |
EAST PAKISTAN CRISIS:
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
[Recent developments in East Pakistan have been the subject of a number of questions put by various newspaper correspondents at home and abroad. These questions have been answered by spokesmen of the Pakistan Government. The more important of these questions and answers are summarised here.]
Question 1: Why was the National Assembly not called into session immediately after the completion of the general elections on January 17, 1971?
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had publicly complained that the date (March 3) had been fixed to suit the convenience of West Pakistani parties and he, as the leader of the majority party, had not even been consulted about it.
Answer: On the eve of the elections, the President in his address to the nation (3rd December, 1970) had suggested to the leaders of all the political parties that it would be useful for them to exchange views with one another and arrived at a consensus on the main provisions of the future constitution. Since these exchanges were of great significance for constitution making, enough time had to be allowed for this. It was in this context that the 3rd of March was fixed as the date for the National Assembly meeting
Q.2: Why was it necessary to postpone the National Assembly session scheduled for March 3? Is it true that Mr. Bhutto's threat to boycott the National Assembly session had something to do with it?
Answer: To save it from disintegration because the two major parties emerging victorious in the elections were not all-Pakistan parties and both had taken irreconcilable position on vital constitutional issues. The Awami League members had taken a vow publicly that they would not budge an inch from the Six Points while the People's Party insisted that they would not go to the Assembly merely to ditto a decision without even a chance of being heard.
The decision to postpone the National Assembly session became inevitable from the practical point of view. In the absence of a prior understanding between the parties and with so many representatives of the people of West Pakistan keeping away from the House, if the inaugural session was held on March 3, as scheduled, the Assembly itself could have disintegrated and the entire effort made for the smooth transfer of power wasted. It was imperative to give more time for passions to cool down and let political leaders arrive at a reasonable understanding on the issues of constitution making.
Q. 3: Why was an understanding outside the National Assembly considered necessary for convening the National Assembly which had been brought into being specifically for the purpose of framing a constitution?
