Bringing Punjab Masses to Order

Chronicle (Levin), 19 March 1947, Page 5

Bringing Punjab Masses to Order

Press AsSn

By Tel'egraph

.-VopyHghi

Received Tuesday, 7.41) p.m. LONDON, Mar. 18. i Tlie general situation throlig'hout the. Punjab is still most critical, says the Tihies Lahdre correspondent. So called "peacv jcommittees" have bfeen establish ed in most towns and are movihg about t-rying to persuade the populations not to create furthei trouble but tension has gone beyond the stage where such "eommittees are likely to do any good. Strong measures by tlie loeal authorities cah alone reStoi-e order provided there are sufficieiit foi'ces availahle. Despite all that may be Said about liidia being eapable oi managing its own affaivs, there is a general demand irorii all quarters for the help of P»ritish troops. In them genuine eonfidence is placed at the moment. There appears little or no hope oi settlement in the Punjab and if communal friction eontinues to spread into the rural areas, nobody is prepared to prediet when it can be broneht under control.

The ehanees of forming a icoalition Ministry in the province |are reeeding. ( 'ongress and Sikh 'leaders declared that under no circumstanees will they give the slightest support to the Moslem League in the formatioii of a Ministry. They oppose Pakistan in every shap'e and form. It seerns, therefore, inevitable thai jthe Oovernor's r'ule in the Punjab | will eontinue for a long time to come but it remains to be se'en whether suffieient force is available to bring the disorderly masses under subjection in any measurahle time. • Reuter's New Delhi eorrespondent says latest reports from the Punjab say conditions in the big towns are quieter but looting. arson and casualties eontinue in the hill regions in the northwest.