GRAVE SITUATION IN PUNJAB

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25275, 29 August 1947, Page 7

GRAVE SITUATION IN PUNJAB

Mr Jinnah Flies To Lahore

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright J

(Rec. 11 p.m.)

LONDON. August 28.

“Mr Jinnah, Governor-General of Pakistan, perturbed by the grave situation in the Punjab, announced that he was flying to Lahore to-day and would remain four days in the troubled areas.” says the Karachi correspondent of “The Times.” “His visit is in consequence of urgent appeals from Punjab Moslems who telegraphed to him pleading for his personal intervention to stop the massacres. “Reports received by Government circles in Karachi suggest that the situation in East Punjab (Indian) has not been brought under control. Resentment has been expressed at a statement which the East Punjab Government issued at Jullundur, denying that there had been a general massacre and attempting to minimise the situation. An official spokesman at Karachi said: The Boundary Force has proved ineffective in spite of reinforcements.’ Optimism over food for Pakistan has been dashed after the devastation by floods in the Chittagong and Noakhali districts.” Lady Mountbatten arrived at Lahore by air and made a tour of refugee camps and hospitals before going to Rawalpindi. Lord Mountbatten, Governor-General of India, leaves for the East Punjab to-morrow to preside at a meeting of the Joint Defence Council which will consider the Punjab situation. After attending this meeting the Indian Prime Minister (Pandit Nehru) and Sardar Baldev Singh, India’s Minister of Defence, will go to Lahore for a meeting with Ministers Of the Pakistan Government. It is understood that the Government of India has proposed to the Government of Pakistan that Ministers of both Dominions should tour the East and West Punjab in two parties.

The troopship Manoora arrived at Sydney to-day with 204 migrants from Bombay, who, because of the unsettled conditions in India, have decided to make their homes in Australia.

The migrants comprised 62 men, 79 women, and 63 children. Some are English, several are Australian-born, and many are of mixed descent with European blood predominating. The great majority have sufficient money to maintain them for a considerable time. The migrants said it had been made clear to them that they were no longer wanted in India.