RAWALPINDI: The Government Opposition Round Table Conference is resuming its deliberations here tomorrow [March 10] at 10 a.m. at the President’s Guest House. Almost all the members of the two teams have already arrived in Rawalpindi for the conference.

President Ayub is said to have decided to convene a special session of the National Assembly by March 20 to amend the Constitution if the Conference reaches an early accord. Even otherwise, it is learnt on good authority, the President will call the National Assembly to session before the end of the month to present before it his own proposals.

The Conference, according to indications available in the two camps here, holds out promise of an early accord on two basic points — restoration of parliamentary form of Government and direct adult franchise. But discussion on other points ... may not be able to make an early progress. Though the DAC leaders after their three-day parleys at Lahore today avoided spelling out the agreement they have reached on points to be raised at the Conference, some leaders of some of the component parties of the DAC ... were categorical that the understanding reached at the Lahore talks covers five major points — parliamentary form of Government, direct adult franchise, regional autonomy, representation on the basis of population and dissolution of One Unit. — Correspondent

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2019