March 5.—Thousands of demonstrators calling for total independence today took to the strikebound streets of Dacca and other centres of East Pakistan for the fourth day as the Pakistan crisis neared a point of no return.

The macs demonstrations which have caused rioting, looting, and acts of vengeance in the past few days have now developed into a well-organized popular uprising against the western-based central government.

Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of the Awami League which holds a clear majority in the new Constituent Assembly, has become the de facto Government in the rebellious eastern province. He is finding that the call for a complete break with the western wing of Pakistan is becoming overpowering.

Although he has been careful to avoid inciting his followers at the recent mass rallies, the last of which packed more than 200,000 people into the Poltan Maidan stadium in Dacca, in so many words, he is known to believe that East Pakistan can no longer be " denied its right of separation."

Indeed, one must now doubt whether if President Yahya Khan agreed to convene the Constituent Assembly soon this would be accepted by the Shaikh.

The most important question is: What will the President's next move be?

So far, the clashes with the angry demonstrators who have poured through the streets have been. relatively speaking, very limited indeed.

But if the Army attempts to suppress the demonstrations by force a situation might develop which would prove too much even for the two and a half divisions of the principally western Pakistan army stationed throughout the eastern province.

What is unclear is just how far Shaikh Mujibur Rahman and his followers will be able to control the situation.

Certainly, there is no doubt about his authority over the province which forms 54 per cent of the population of Pakistan.

lie plans to maintain his civil disobedience tactics and the snowballing crisis they are creating until the President agrees to lift the state of martial law imposed this week.

Peter Hazelhurst writes from Karachi

The general strike throughout East Pakistan continued today and tension rose later after the news that two demonstrators had been shot dead and several injured in a clash with police at Chittagong.

The law and order situation improved slightly overnight after Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, the Bengal leader, appealed for nonviolence and discipline: But he advised his supporters to continue the general strike until Sunday, when he is expected to make a dramatic announcement before a mass rally in Dacca.

In the meantime, a Government source announced today that President Yahya Khan will broadcast a special message to the nation at noon tomorrow. It is understood that the President is planning to make some concession to East Pakistan before the Shaikh commits himself to any radical path on Sunday.

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