INDEPENDENCE OF PAKISTAN

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25608, 24 September 1948, Page 7

INDEPENDENCE OF PAKISTAN

“Enemies’ Challenge Accepted” PRIME MINISTER BROADCASTS (NJZ. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 pan.) LONDON, Sept. 23. The Karachi correspondent of "The Times” reports that in a broadcast last night Liaqat Ali Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan, said that the enemies of Pakistan had thrown out a challenge that after Mr Jinnah’s death Pakistan would disintegrate. He accepted the challenge because his nation was a living one and would sacrifice everything for the maintenance of Pakistan.

"Our enemies hoped that after Mr Jinnah’s death chaos would set in and the whole system be disorganised,” he said. “These things have not occurred. On the contrary, unity and the sense of responsibility among the people have increased.”

Referring to Hyderabad, Liaqat Ali Khan said that statesmen and newspapers in most countries were in agreement with Pakistan and had declared that India should not have attacked Hyderabad. “We always wished for a settlement without force, and I had appealed to Pandit Nehru not to use military force against Hyderabad but to arrive at a settlement in a peaceful way,” he said. "I hope the Security Council will look upon this matter from the angle that peace in the world cannot be maintained so long as big Powers attack their weak neighbours and rob them of their independence with impunity.” Liaqat Ali Khan assured India that Pakistan wanted peace, but added that Pakistan’s armed forces were fully prepared to do their duty. "I would rather see our nation starve than allow any slackening of the effort to safeguard our independence,” he said.