745F.93/5–548: Telegram
The Consul at Tihwa (Paxton) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 6—11:01 a. m.]
51. Personal enquiries from informed sources in neighborhood of convenient passes at Kashgar, Pishan (Gumabazar), Soche (Yarkand) and Hotien (Khotan) including British ConGen, Chinese military officers, Han and Turki civil officials and residents on recent travel in south revealed no trace of any Pakistan political agents. Trade continues however across Karakoram by both Leh and Gilgit routes though reduced by Kashmir disturbances (refmytel to Nanking 23, repeated Washington 13, January 25 and to Nanking 67, repeated Washington 34, March 311).
Possibly arrival in Sinkiang of Hunza envoys in October occasioned confusion in Indian Government reports in November.
Learned from competent Muslim scholars in Kashgar that majority of both Pakistanis and Sinkiang Turkis belong to Sunni sect whereas Iranians are chiefly Shiites. This would help account for attraction between Sinkiang and Pakistan faithful. Reported lack of cordiality between Turkis here and Afghans, also Sunnis, might be due to lack of commercial contact. Most Hutrans belong to Agha Khan’s Moalai sect but appear to meet little opposition from Sunnis on doctrinal grounds.
Tihwa telegram to Embassy 107, repeated Department 51, May 5.
- Telegram No. 34 not printed.↩