The Central Working Committee of the National Awami Party (Wali Group) yesterday expressed its grave concern, over the sudden and unexpected postponement of the Naional Assembly session.
The working committee in a resolution passed at its session yesterday evening described the postponement of the NA session as undemocratic. The resolution read : "the meeting of the central working committee of NAP (Wali Group) expressed its grave concern over the sudden and unexpected postponement of the National Assembly session scheduled for March 3 which was convened after an undue delay and feels that this is not only a postponement of the NA session but also a contrivance to delay the transfer of power to the elected representatives of the elected representatives of the people who have been groaning under the weight of oppression and coersion during the last 23 years.
The meeting called upon the oppressed people of Pakistan to be vigilant against the vested interests, reactionary forces and beware not to play into the hands of provocateurs and be angered by the elements who set one section of our beloved people against the other in the name of nation, nationalities, region and language, etc. Who are conspiring against the restoration of people's soverignty by impeding the framing of democratic and acceptable constitution.
The meeting further urged upon the Government to immediately rescind the order of postponement of NA session.
The meeting presided over by Arbab Sikander was also attended by NAP MNAs-elect who are here to attend the NA session.
The MNAs are Mr. Gaus Bijenjo Khan Bux, Mari, Ghulam Faruque, Amirjada Khan and Abdul Hai Baluch. Maj. Gen. (rtd.) Zilani also attended the committee meeting.
Prof. Muzaffar Ahmed and Syed Altaf Hussain, president and general secretary of EPNAP respectively were among the prominent East Pakistani leaders who attended the meeting.
The central working committee is meetng here again today to discuss the present political situation.
The general working committee has also strongly protested against postponement of the election for various provinces of West Pakistan.
The committee passed a resolution at its morning session which, while protesting against the postporement, maintained that this action was all the more resentful in view of the fact that all MNAs from Baluchistan and most of the MNAs-elect from NWFP are here for election.
The committee requested its general secretary Mr. Usmani to withdraw his resignation in view of the grave political situation. It also paid tributes to Mr. Usmani for his services to the party. Mr. Usmani consequently agreed to withdraw his resignation.
Source: Morning News, 2 March '71