KARACHI: President Ayub Khan yesterday warned the people of East Pakistan against the designs of a few self-seeking leaders who had “invented fantastic and impracticable plans for their own self-aggrandisement” and “mislead the people in the name of Provincial autonomy”.

Addressing the nation in his first-of-the-month broadcast, the President said these leaders had very limited political following and these plans which were devoid of any constructive ideas were merely intended to mislead the people by exciting emotions.

However, he said, in his recent visit to East Pakistan during the National Assembly session he came into contact with people from different walks of life and he could say with confidence that “the people of East Pakistan have unbounded love for their brethren in West Pakistan and they will not hesitate to lay down their lives for the stability of Pakistan”.

The President pointed out that under the present Constitution the two provincial Governments had been given complete authority in all fields including judiciary, executive, industry, commerce, education and communications, so that both wings of the country could develop according to their own requirements. It was as a result of “meaningful and purposeful provincial autonomy” that both parts of the country had achieved enviable progress.

He said only such advisory functions had been left with the Centre as were necessary to maintain national unity and strengthen the nation. The real purpose of giving more and more powers to the provinces was to ensure that decisions concerning the welfare and uplift of the people were taken promptly and in the context of local requirements.

He said that Provincial autonomy was not an issue of prestige or a matter of sentimental appeal. After all every citizen, whether he was in the East or in the West, was fundamentally a Pakistani and as such he shared equally with the rest the political power vesting in the Centre.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2016