PUNJAB ASSEMBLY VOTES IN FAVOUR OF PARTITION

Evening Star, Issue 26135, 24 June 1947, Page 5

PUNJAB ASSEMBLY VOTES IN FAVOUR OF PARTITION

(Rec. 8 a.m.) LONDON. June 23. The Punjab Assembly, by 91 votes to 77, decided in favour of partition of the province, reports (Reuter’s correspondent in Lahore. The decision was reached yrUhout incident and with little discussion since the result was virtually decided in advance in party councils. The joint session first voted 91 to 77 to join a new Constituent Assembly (Pakistan). East Punjab members meeting separately then rejected a Moslem motion that the Punjab should remain united, thus deciding the partition issue. East Punjab members formally decided to join the existing Constituent Assembly. The work of implementing the partition plan goes on apace. All officials, from the Viceroy down, are engrossed in the practical details of the plan. On the delicate question of the partition of the armed forces, it has been suggested that, as a preliminary step, all homogeneous Hindu units, such as the Maharattas and the Garwalis, as well as the Sikhs and jGurkhas, should be posted to areas in Hindustan, while predominantly Moslem units, including the Punjab regiments, should be posted within Pakistan. Field-Marshal Montgomery has arrived at New Delhi for a brief stay with Lord Mountbatten.