THE ACCESSION OF Mr. Suhrawardy to power, following Mr. Mohamad
Ali's refusal to continue as Prime Minister, has been interpreted as evidence that the politicians have defeated the officials in the struggle for control in Pakistan. This seems to me to be an over-simplified view. Although the Muslim League succeeded in embarrassing Mr. Ali, and finally sickening him with the seamier side of party management, they never de- feated him; to the last he retained a majority in the legislature. His great services to Pakistan are still recognised by everyone. But he seems to feel that the office of Prime Minister ought to be held by someone who is inured to the rough and tumble of party politics—a quality which his purely official career has never given him the opportunity of cultivating. He only entered politics last year because he thought that nothing but cabinet rank would give him the power to do the things which he saw needed to be done; now he seems to have concluded that he is more useful to his country as a public servant than as a political leader. Mr. Suhrawardy is better equipped to hold his own in political life. He is beyond question the ablest parlia- mentarian in Pakistan, standing head and shoulders above any rival in his understanding of the art of winning popular favour. And he is the only man in politics who is equally at home when appealing for public support in West Pakistan and East Bengal.
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