Address at a Meeting of MNA’s and MPA’s of Punjab at Lahore on June 26, 1972

If I can walk out of Tashkent I can walk out of Simla. But I will never be party to national dishonor.

The President said that sovereignty lay with the people, and only their will shall prevail. He said that he would not sign anything nor come to a decision on fundamental questions without a direct reference to the people through their elected representatives in the National Assembly.

He reiterated that the decisions which may have to be made in the coming months will be the decisions of the whole nation and not of an individual, even though that individual already had a full and complete mandate from the people to negotiate peace with India.

It is not a party question. It involves the destiny of the nation. Procedural and routine matters, he added, could perhaps be settled in his meeting with the Indian leaders but go fundamental or basic issues will be decided except in the National Assembly.

The President said that he was hoping to meet Sheikh Mujibur Rahman sometime in July anywhere. He said that various friendly countries had offered their good offices in this regard, including Great Britain. UAR and Indonesia.

The meeting, which the President described as the last and the most important of the session he has been having with a cross-section of leaders of public opinion, was significant for the complete identity of views expressed by the leaders of all the opposition parties in the Punjab Assembly.

One after the other, the opposition leaders to do up to express their complete and unreserved faith in the President’s leadership and his ability to conclude an honorable peace with India. On behalf of their parties they assured him of their total rust in his judgment. As one of them said, the nation can have no more competent advocate than yourself. You go with our blessings and our prayers.

The opposition leaders said that irrespective of party affiliations they had accepted he Presidents leadership during these difficult times. They told him that the nations honor and destiny were safe in his hands.