Karachi: President Yahya Khan announced yesterday that he had set up a committee to draft a constitution so that Pakistan could return to civilian rule.

In a nation-wide broadcast the President said he hoped to transfer power to elected representatives in a matter of four months or so. “The precise timing will naturally depend on the internal and external situation at the time” he said.

Various leaders of the National Assembly would be consulted in preparing the draft constitution, which would be worked out after studying a number of existing constitutions. President Yahya said: “The constitution shall also provide full social and economic justice to various sections of our society. The constitution must be a Federal one and it must have all the characteristics of a Federal Constitution.

There will not be fresh elections before the new constitution is introduced” he said.

President Yahya said he had banned the Awami League. The League won all but two of the seats in East Pakistan at the December elections.