690D. 91/8–151: Telegram
The Ambassador in Pakistan (Warren) to the Secretary of State
114. UK acting HICOM1 discussed with me yesterday his call on Zafrulla under instrs from London re Deptel 19, July 302 and FonMin’s comments.
He said both FonMin and FonSecy appeared relaxed in their attitude to Indo-Pak relations, the only good sign he sees in present sitn. FonSecy confirmed that Mohd Ali has been responsible for drafting of Liaquat’s notes to Nehru in past two weeks. Burnett feels Mohd Ali is so bitter against India because of his own personal losses resulting from partition that his attitude colors Liaquat’s correspondence with Nehru. I feel same way and expressed myself guardedly to Finance Min and FonSecy to effect that Liaquat’s peace proposals as addressed to Nehru might have been more effective had they not been packaged in extraneous and bitter preamble.
Acting UK HICOM is depressed and apprehensive over the outlook and said yesterday he was informing his govt to that effect. My own feeling is that the press campaign is inflammatory and invitations to the provincial populations and frontier tribesmen to express their adherence to Liaquat’s govt by mass demonstrations is dangerous. In my opinion two areas of most acute friction are tribal areas and Azad Kashmir in West Pak and villages Pak adjacent to Bengal. Provincial Governor Noon’s appeal in Dacca to East Pak population to rally behind Pak might easily be utilized by extremist elements to provoke communal disturbances in that area. Shld this occur there is almost certain risk of war.
I visited the frontier tribal area bordering on Azad Kashmir two weeks ago immed before the announcement of Ind troop concentrations and found the population there preoccupied with campaign for [Page 1804] December elections in the frontier province and expressing little concern over the Kashmir question at that time. But with campaigns now under way to arouse public feeling I feel that attitudes may change almost over night.
With Amb Henderson’s approval I have sent Metcalf ,3 Polit Secy, to consult with Emb staff in Delhi and Consul Gen in Calcutta en route to a week’s observation in East Pak. If the tension eases I propose to make another visit to the northern frontier the last week in Aug to observe attitudes, not only with respect to Kashmir, but also with respect to Afghan ref Kabul’s 68 to Dept.4
Shld Nehru be successful in delaying Graham’s work through Aug by vague proposal on Kashmir demilitarization, I feel boiling point may be reached in Indo-Pak relations no later than mid-Sept. In view of this depressing outlook I recommend that US and UK suggest to their SC reps the desirability of having SC informally ask Graham for an interim report not later than mid-Aug, provided he has not already submitted his views on the probable success of his task, in order that thought may be given in the latter part of the month to an SC reminder to both govts that present tensions if not curbed are a threat to the peace.
- R. R. Burnett.↩
- Reference is presumably to London’s telegram 19 to Karachi, same as London’s 590 to Washington, July 30, p. 1800.↩
- Lee E. Metcalf, Second Secretary and Vice Consul of the Embassy in Pakistan.↩
- Telegram 68, from Kabul, July 27, suggested that there was a close connection between the Kashmir issue and the dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan with respect to jurisdiction over the North-West Frontier Province and Tribal Areas. For text, see p. 1987.↩