Evening star., 1950-05-03
Pokiston's Prime Minister

Mr.. Liaquat Ali Khan-whom Washington
welcomes today, along with his attractive and
politically progressive wife-is certainly one of
the most important leaders of the new Asia that
has been taking shape amid great turbulence
ever since the recent war began to drive the last
nails into the coffin of Far Eastern colonialism
For as Prime Minister of Pakistan this man
heads the fifth most populous country in the
world-the greatest of all Moslem states whose
80.000,000 people, though the inheritors of a
rich and ancient culture, constitute one of the
youngest of nations in the family of nations 1t
is nation less than three years old. Yet, despite
the serious doubts expressed about its future
when 1t came into being with the partitoning
of British India in August of 1947, 1t has already
demonstrated remarkable degree of viability.
This vability must be credited in large
measure to the intensely energetic, imaginative
and steadying leadership of 55-year-old Mr..
Liaquat Ali. During the war years, after the
Hindu dominated Congress Party had demanded
full freedom for India, he was kind of alter
ego to the great Mohammed Ali Jinnah-"Father
of Pakistan'-in the latters drive to make
separate independent state of the Indian areas
inhabited by majority of Moslems. Accordingly,
when Jinnah died in September of 1948, his
heavy responsibilities fell naturally and almost
automatically on the shoulders of his chief
associate.
That he is excellently equipped to handle
his task is clear from what the Prime Minister
has accomplished to date. AS head of a geogra-
phically unique nation made up of western and
eastern areas separated by 1000 miles of Indian
territory, he has had to deal with succession
of grave problems and crises, including the post
partition influx of millions of Moslem refugees
from India and the still-to-be settled Kashmir
dispute. Above all, he has had to work night
and day against the danger of war between his
own country and the Indians war that could
set fire to the whole of Asia and perhaps even
to the world.
Happily, however, as a result OF his recent
conferences with Prime Minister Nehru of India,
that danger has been notably lessened by two
historic agreements Under one of these, equal
rights have been guaranteed to minoritieS in the
two countries, and under the other, trade
arrangements have been reached to break long
standing economic deadlock. The outlook for
settlement of their other disputes thus has
undergone a marked change for the better, which
means, as far as Pakstan is concerned, that Mr..
Liaquat Ali and his government will have an
opportunity to concentrate more on pressing
forward with internal progress.
Actually with agriculture its primary source
of strength, Pakistan-whch has been operating
a balanced budget in spite of large defense
xpend1tures-aready enjoys one OF the most
stable economies in Asia. But 1t nevertheless
faces a number of serious economic and social
problems and in order to cope with them the
government is seeking to promote large-scale
ndustrialization-a project which Mr.. Liaquat
Ali will have very much in mind as he tours
America looking for ideas and listening to counsel
that can be of assistance to his country.
The Prime Minster-who incidentally is an
avowed foe of communism-ought to find the
United States an altogether sympathetic and
friendly host. Certainly, together with India,
Pakistan, if it grows in economic and political
strength, can be great barrier to the further
advance of the Red tide in Asia. Our own and
other free nations obviously have good reason
to do whatever they can to help 1t thrive.