LONDON, July 19—President Mohammad Yahya Khan of Pakistan said in an interview published here today that Sheik Mujibur Rahman, the East Bengali leader, would be put on trial “very soon.”

The trial would be by a military court and in secret, he said. He did not give the precise charge, but he said it would carry the death penalty—subject to confirmation by himself as President.

The interview appeared in The Financial Times of London.

Sheik Mujib headed the Awami League, which won virtually every East Pakistani seat in last winter's national elections. Sheik Mujib regarded the result as a mandate to seek a large degree of autonomy for the East.

Action by Army

But the Yahya Khan Government, dominated by West Pakistani army officers, thought the Awami League was planning to declare independence, as some of its leaders were urging. The army flew in to occupy the East, killed thousands and arrested Sheik Mujib.

President Yahya's decision to hold the trial will be regretted by British officials and others who have been hoping for some political solution in East Pakistan. Their feeling is that the Government can only hope to achieve a settlement now by freeing Sheik Mujib and dealing with him.

In the interview, General Yahya said Sheik Mujib would be allowed a lawyer—but only a Pakistani one. He was once successfully defended against conspiracy charges by a British barrister.

President Yahya was highly critical of Britain in the interview, and especially of the Foreign Secretary, Sir Alec Douglas‐Home. Sir Alec had said that Britain will not renew aid to Pakistan until there is a political settlement.

Withdrawal Considered

The President said the British Government had fallen for the “cruel, crude propaganda of India.” He said his Government was considering withdrawing from the Commonwealth in retaliation.

He contrasted Britain with the United States, which he said has caused Pakistan “no embarrassment.”

There was a stern warning to India in the interview. General Yahya said he knew there were 24 camps in India to train Bengali guerrillas. If India stepped up her activities, for example by helping to establish a guerrilla base area in East Pakistan, he said his Government would treat that as an attack.

“I shall declare a general war,” the President said, “and let the world take note of it.”

This comment fits with recent official American reports on the Pakistani mood. These reports have treated very seriously the possibility of war between India and Pakistan.

General Yahya said that he was ready to let United Nations observers into East Pakistan to “supervise the return of the refugees.” Their function, he said, would be to reassure the 6 million to 7 million refugees now in India that they can safely return. He said observers could watch particular villages to make sure returning refugees suffered no penalties.

But that solution, the President said, would depend on Indian cooperation. He said Indian troops “would have to stop the shelling and mortaring” from across the border.