RAWALPINDI: President Gen A.M. Yahya Khan has decided to set up a coalition Government at the Centre, it was officially announced here ton­ight [Dec 7]. Mr Nurul Amin, leader of the United Coalition Party, will be the Prime Minis­ter and Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, will be the Vice-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. The President in a statement said: “… In view of the war and consequent difficulties in communications between the two Wings of the country, I have decided to set up a Government at the Centre now, which was to be formed after Dec 27. The members of the Central Government will be drawn from the elected representatives of the two Wings as decided upon by the leaders of the coalition Government.”

A Government spokesman told newsmen that the President would transfer “substantial powers” to the civilian Government. He told a questioner that Gen Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan continued to be the President and Chief Martial Law Administrator. Asked when the civilian government would be sworn in, the spokesman said he assumed it could be tonight or tomorrow but added he had no official information. …

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2021