Karachi, March 7

The two provinces of East and West Pakistan drifted further down the path towards separation over the weekend after leaders of both wings outlined almost impossible preconditions for constitutional negotiations.

Addressing one million Bengalis at a rally in Dacca, the capital of the eastern wing, Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of the Awami League said that he would enter the Constituent Assembly only if President Yahya Khan met four new demands.

They are: the immediate transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people; the withdrawal of martial law; the return of troops to their barracks; and an inquiry into the " mass killings" in East Pakistan.

The Shaik's speech was in reply to yesterday's hard-hitting speech by the President in which he withdrew his original order postponing the National Assembly.

The President, who said that the Assembly would now convene on March 25, warned Shaikh Mujibur Rahman that he would use the Pakistan Army to prevent the disintegration of the country. He said that the nation's constitution would have to be framed according to the legal order under which he will have the right to ratify or reject the document.

In an unfortunate coincidence, Mr, Z. A. Bhutto, the West Pakistan leader, met President Yahya Khan on the eve of his broadcast to the nation yesterday, and their talks were seen by Bengalis as another conspiracy to preserve the western province's interests.

At the same time, the President appointed one of the Punjabi hawks in the Army, Lieutenant-General Tikka Khan, as Governor of the eastern province.

Mr. Bhutto, who precipitated the constitutional crisis when he decided to boycott last week's projected inaugural session of the Constituent Assembly, has now decided to attend the session when and if it opens in Dacca on March 25.

Shaikh Mujibur told the cheering Bengalis in Dacca today that a non-cooperation movement would be launched throughout the province tomorrow.


A Staff Reporter writes: East Pakistanis from all over Britain. some so angry with the policies of President Yahya Khan that they insisted on calling themselves " East Bengalis," demonstrated outside the Pakistan High Commission in London yesterday.

Enthusiastic participants put the numbers involved in the protest at more than 10.000. but the police said about 2,500 were involved. There were scuffles between demonstrators and policemen cordoning off the High Commission, at the corner of Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge.

At one point missiles were thrown by the crowd when Mr. Salman Ali, the High Commissioner, came outside.