THE States of Kharan, Las Bela and Mekran applied for accession on Wednesday [March 17] and the accession of all three were accepted by Pakistan, states a Press note issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan. With the accession … of the three feudatories of Kalat State, [the latter] has not only shrunk to less than half of its total area of over 73,000 square miles but has also been left without any outlet to the sea… .

The accession … cause quiet satisfaction in political circles in Karachi, which had for some time now grown critical of Pakistan’s delay in accepting their accession. It will be recalled that after the establishment of Pakistan the feudatories of Kalat had approached the Pakistan Government for direct accession. Pakistan had desired that Kalat State, which is a sort of confederacy of a number of partially independent states, should accede as a body, without disturbing its political set up. The Khan of Kalat entered into a standstill agreement with Pakistan on the transfer of power in August last… . — News agencies

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2023