Maulana Bashmani, leader of the National Awami Party, said yesterday [December 30] his party would boycott the coming elections following a clash between his supporters and police in which three people were killed and several injured. Three people were killed and another wounded yesterday when police fired at a mob in Hatirdia Bazar, a Dacca suburb, according to an official communiqué. The mob had stoned a shop and attempted to free several people taken into custody by police, the communiqué said. Three more persons were killed in police firing in Mancherdi, Dacca district, to-day. Police were reported to have arrested four people in the Awami Party demonstration at Dacca in favour of a general strike. Speaking at Pabna, in East Pakistan, Maulana Bashani called on other parties to follow his lead and boycott the elections. Meanwhile President Ayub Khan has urged members of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League at Lahore to defend the regime against opposition attacks.
