Joint Measures To Restore Order In India

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 September 1947, Page 7

Joint Measures To Restore Order In India

(Rec. 10.35 a.m.) LAHORE, Sept. 3. Pandit Nehru, Liaqat Ali Khan and other members of the Indian and Pakistan Governments, after a meeting to discuss joint action to restore peace in riot-torn Punjab, announced that in the past fortnight 500,000 people had crossed the Punjab border in either direction.

The Governments were determined to establish law and order immediately. They would not recognise the illegal seizure of property, forced conversions, and forced marriages. They would make every effort to trace and recover abducted women and girls. They would appoint custodians of refugee property. They would investigate the charges against officials of having taken part in lawless activities and would take action where the charges were proved. While the members of the Governments were discussing methods for ensuring the safe evacuation of minorities from the disturbed areas, 20 British Lancastrian aircraft are aperating an air shuttle service, flying .7000 Pakistan Government, officials from New Delhi to Karachi.

It is expected the operation will be the biggest in post-war civil aviation. A Karachi message says the Pakistan Government announced that communal disorders have flared up in East Punjab. Fifteen people were killed in Peshawar, Jowshera and Abbotabad. A bazaar in the Hazara district was set on fire. Great Stream of Refugees

A Hyderabad message says that 832 persons were injured when a crowd of 4000 attacked Parkal, 20 miles from Warangal. Troops are being rushed to Parkal. The district magistrate at Kasur, a border town 35 miles south of Lahore, says a 20-mile column of Moslem refugees, estimated at 200,000, began entering the town early today?About, a quarter of them had not reached Kasur by nightfall.- 1 ' The refugees, mostly on foot, came from the Sikh States of Faridkot, Patiala, Nabha and Jind in East Punjab. About 2000 of them were wounded by Sikh attacks. Doctors met them.

It is estimated that the number who died exceeded the number of wounded who arrived. A West Punjab communique says that the improved situation has been maintained except in the Shekhupura district, where armed Sikh bands are causing trouble.

GANDHI CONTINUES HIS FAST- ... (Rec. 3 pan.) CALCUTTA, Sept. 3. Mr Gandhi’s physician, Dr Din-

shaw Mehta, stated that Mr Gandhi, who is fasting in protest against the communal . .in . Calcutta until conditions become normal, passed a relatively restful night without any disturbing clinical symptoms, but his condition is “distinctly lower than usual” after 34 hours of fast.