DACCA: The President, General A.M. Yahya Khan, today [April 25] stressed the importance of creating a national base of discipline before bringing the election machinery into action. The President was having an informal exchange of views with East Pakistan editors on problems facing the country here this evening.

In reply to a question, the President said that elections could not be held in a vacuum. It was important that a proper climate was built up before elections could be held. He said that the fundamentals of political conduct and behaviour should be agreed upon before political activity could be resumed.

The President said that it was for this purpose that he had set out in his present tour. ... He said he would undertake more tours and hoped that these would enable him in getting a proper idea of conditions and thinking in the country.

President Yahya Khan expressed the hope that the Press and other sections of the intelligentsia would help him in restoring the proper climate in the country. He emphasised that he himself had no magic formula to bring this climate into being. It was a task to accomplish in which he must have the support and cooperation of all the intelligent segments of society, particularly the national Press.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2019