THE awards of the Boundary Commissions appointed under the terms of the India Independence Act, delimiting the final frontiers of the two parts of the Punjab and Bengal, and demarcating the areas of Sylhet allotted to East Bengal, were released simultaneously in the Capitals of Pakistan and the Union of India on Sunday evening [Aug 17]. The awards take the form of three reports, separately written and signed by the Chairman, Sir Cyril Radcliffe, and separately addressed to the two Governors-General. The Chairman states in each report that his colleagues on both the Commissions, two of whom were Muslims and two non-Muslims in each case, were unable to agree on any major point and, therefore, he had to proceed to give his own awards.

…The Communication Minister, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, said: “It is extremely unfair and unjust to Pakistan, and was based on no principles. We believe it is a parting kick [by] the British.” Mr. Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Agriculture Minister, was also critical, and … added that “this award by a British judge is unjust”, and said that the decision may not persuade Pakistan to remain in the Commonwealth. “Considering the wholesale slaughter going on in some Hindu States,” he said, “with this division, we have not started well.” — Dawn Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2022