India and Pakistan
Anxious though the situation in India must long continue to be, the sky has in some respects lightened in the last few days as a result of the talks between the Indian and Pakistan leaders at Lahore. A number of financial and economic questions, dealing with such matters as the partition of sterling balances, of cash balances and of the public debt, have been satisfactorily settled in what appears to have been an entirely amicable spirit. But more intractable problems are still unsolved, in particular the situation in Kashrnir, which is rapidly becoming that dangerous factor, a symbol. Indian troops are still in occupation and the Africli tribesmen have not yet .withdrawn. On the vital question of which shall go first—though Pakistan would be content for them to go simultaneously—no agree- ment has been reached ; till it is, the State is a hotbed of dangerous possibilities. Meanwhile, both Muslim West Punjab and Indian East Punjab are overwhelmed by the flood of refugees, which con- stitute an unorganised exchange of populations on a scale probably unprecedented in histOry. Nearly four million non-Muslims- Hindus and Sikhs—have reached East Punjab, and it is estimated that while the bulk of the more than two million agriculturists can be coped with (since migrating Muslims have left much land avail- able), the r,soo,000 non-agriculturists are incapable of absorption ; towns of tents are being erected for their temporary accommoda- tion. Each Dominion must grapple with its own problem here. It is satisfactory that agreement has been reached on the minor question of respect for property left behind by the migrants in each case.
Previous page
