AL presents draft constitution based on 6-pt programme

On March 22 Pakistan's president Yahya Khan again postponed the session of the National Assembly through a press release. A discussion meeting of Sheikh Mujib, Yahya Khan and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was held. Four advisers of the President and five  jurists of the Peoples Party also had a discussion meeting. They opposed the demand of the Awami League for withdrawal of Martial Law and transfer of power before the session of the National Assembly on the plea of legal complicacy.

Besides, President Yahya had discussion meeting with other leaders from West Pakistan.
President Yahya Khan in a message said "Political crisis will be resolved."
As a part of Yahya-Mujib parley, a discussion meeting was held between the discussants of Awami League and advisers of the President. The Awami League representatives for discussion included Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad and Kamal Hosain while the advisers of the President included AR Cornelius, SGM Peerzada and Col Hasan. On this day the representatives of Awami League submitted the draft of the proposed constitution.
The draft Constitution based on the 6-point programme recommended that defence, external trade, foreign affairs, currency, citizenship, central loan, standard of weight and measurement, central asset, inter-provincial and international communication would be under the jurisdiction of the central government, and the matter beyond this inventory would be under the jurisdiction of the province. They had discussion meeting again in the evening on the economic aspects of the draft constitution.
Leading dailies of the country brought out  special supplements on the occasion and carried news captioned, "Emancipation of Bangla Desh" on March 22. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman described the present movement as the struggle for total emanci-pation of seven crore (70 million) Bengalis. This struggle will continue until the final goal is achieved, he said and added, the people of Bangladesh could no more be silenced by bullets, guns, and bayonets because they are united today.
Bhutto said in a Press Conference he had a "satisfactory meeting" with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and hoped to meet him again. Bhutto said they were examining the broad agreement reached between the President and Awami League Chief Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and assured that his party would make every effort to reach an understanding to end the present crisis.
However, it was the sixth meeting between the president and Bangabandhu which lasted for about one hour and fifteen minutes.
The then media reports that "at the beginning, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asked the president if he had gone through the Awami League proposal regarding a proclamation and whether the regime agreed to it.
Yahya said before the enforcement of the proclamation, he needed assent of Pakistan People's Party.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman told the president to pursue Bhutto into accepting the proclamation idea quickly otherwise the situation would deteriorate further.
After the meeting, Bangabandhu, the chief of Awami League, described the ongoing movement as the struggle for total emancipation of seven crore Bengalis.
He told journalists that the movement would continue until the final goal was achieved."
On the same day, Bhutto told a news conference in Dhaka that his party was examining the draft proclamation the Awami League and the government had been discussing over the past few days.
Bhutto said they were examining the broad agreement reached between the President and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and assured that his party would make every effort to reach an understanding to end the present crisis.