THE brave Pathans of the North-West Frontier Province decided to join Pakistan with a majority of 286,370 votes. Despite the obstructions and underhand dealings of the Khan brothers only 2,874 votes were cast for India while 289,244 voted for the inclusion of the Province in Pakistan. The Frontier referendum has shown the hollowness of the tall talk of the Congress and ... proved that the ... Pathans stand for Pakistan.

[Meanwhile, reports from Dera Ismail Khan add,] ... The Pir Sahib of Zakori Sharif has issued the following statement ... : “We have finished our struggle and we are sure to come out with flying colours. The Congress in the Frontier has been beaten hollow. The Khanna Khan unholy alliance is on the verge of collapse. The Ministry is now adopting new tactics to harass the Musalmans who have refused to play to the Congress tune. The Redshirts headed by the Khan Brothers ... have met their Waterloo. They see as clearly as daylight, the days of their political supremacy in Frontier Province are numbered and the Muslims who have been groaning under their tyrannical rule will be free.”

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2022