REFUGEES' GRIM PLIGHT

Chronicle (Levin), 6 October 1947, Page 5

REFUGEES' GRIM PLIGHT

(N.Z.P.A.-

- Reuter ,

* Growing Indian Discontent With Governmenf ,

, copyright ) '

Received Monday; 10.30 a.m. LAHORE, Oct. 5. The Pakistan Premier, Mr. Liaquat. Ali Khan-, and' two Indian Ministers, at a. conference today on the plight of. refugees in East and West Punjab, have agreed to speed up the military evaeuation of both Dominions in view of the approaching cold weather. Mr. K. C. Neogy, Indian Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation, and Sir N. G'opalaswami' Ayyangar, Minister without Portfolio, flew toLahore for the conference. Hundreds of Moslem refugees from West Pun.jab are .reaching Pakistan only to die from starvation, exhaustion and disease 'along the I7-mile stretch of the Grand Trunk Road between- the IndianPakistan border and the city of Lahore reports Reuter's correspondent at Lahore. Many of the dead lie unburied near the border, but so ' still lie those suffering from utter exhaustion that it takes close inspection to tell the sleeping from the dead. The refugees even after they reach the camps prepared for them still die by hundreds from the effects of heir terrible journey or by falling easy victims to cholera. Discontent is growing steadily with the Government of India's handling of the refugee problem and its "weakness" in dealing with the Pakistan Government,- says. the 3unday Observer's New Delhi cor^espondent. Prominent provincial Congress leaders from Western °akistan, most of them refugees crom the North-west Frontier Province, West Punjab and Sind ;vho are meeting at Delhi, accuse. "he Nehru Cabinet of criminal iilatoriness in ar-ranging for the evaeuation of Hindus and Sikhs Tom Pakistan territory. These Congress leaders among other hings cal'l for the mobilisation of Ul the Government and military "esources for the immediate safp evaeuation of Hindus and Sikhs.