Tomorrow, the text of the secret mutual assistance treaty between the USA and India, which was signed in 1951 and renewed in 1958 and 1962, also will be placed before the National Assembly by the External Affairs Minister, Mr Mohammad Ali.

It is interesting to note that Pakistan came to know about the existence of the secret treaty between India and America only a few days back. The agreement includes a clause providing for Indian participation in the “effective defence of the area it is a part of”.

According to political quarters, the existence of this clause of the agreement between India and the United States in effect meant that India was to enjoy all the privileges of SEATO membership without actually being a member of the pact.

Political circles were more than amused by the discovery of the secret treaty between Washington and New Delhi. They recall that while Mr Nehru was denouncing Pakistan for having brought the Cold War into the heart of Asia by entering into pacts, India was itself secretly involved in a similar deal. The hypocritical poise of injured innocence of Mr Nehru is a subject matter of comment in political circles.—Staff Correspondent