LAHORE: The Chairman of the Tehrike Istaqlal-i-Pakistan, Air Marshal (Retired) Asghar Khan ... demanded that Martial Law should be lifted and full democracy restored immediately in the interest of national integrity. He believed that the country should have an interim constitutional framework for a limited period pending the framing of a permanent constitution and the National Assembly should meet without any delay. The Provincial Assemblies could also meet simultaneously.

The Tehrik chief ... was of the view that the People’s Party, which had a comfortable majority in the National Assembly and which had definite views on the constitutional set-up, could easily give an interim constitution ridding the country of the curse of Martial Law... . Leaders of other parties could also be consulted on this vital question, he said. ... The Tehrik leader also demanded that the Awami League chief Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, should be released immediately. … The Air Marshal demanded that the Hamoodur Rahman Commission should function as an open court and people should be taken into confidence. He said Yahya Khan and his accomplices … should be tried in open court. … [I]f convicted they should not go unpunished...

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2022