Fazl-e-Umar — Page 249
Fazle Umar 249 Nehru was accompanied by Sardar Baldev Singh, which was only a gesture designed to secure the goodwill of the Sikh community. On his side Mr Jinnah was accompanied by Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, who was his principal lieutenant in the Muslim League. Prime Minister Attlee’s attempt was also frustrated by the intransigence of Mr Nehru. On 20 February 1947, Prime Minister Attlee announced his scheme for the transfer of complete power to India, and Lord Mountbatten was sent out as Governor General in place of Lord Wavell to work out, in consultation with political leaders, the method of giving effect to the Prime Minister’s announcement. Finally, on 3 June 1947, the scheme of partition was, with the agreement of the political leaders, set forth by Lord Mountbatten. Throughout this turbulent and critical period the Khalifatul Masih continued his full support of Mr Jinnah and the Muslim League. In pursuance of the scheme of partition outlined in Lord Mountbatten’s speech of 3 June 1947, Boundary Commissions were set up in the Punjab and Bengal for the demarcation of the boundaries between Pakistan and India in the North-West and North-East of the Sub-Continent. T H E P U n j A b b OU n d A R y C OM M I S SIO n A n d E F F ORT S TO I n C LU d E Q A d IA n I n P A K I STA n Mr Jinnah requested an eminent Ahmadi jurist to present the case of the Muslim League to the Punjab Boundary Commission. The Muslim League approached the Khalifatul Masih that he should arrange for the representation of the Community before the Punjab Boundary Commission in support of the Muslim League, with particular emphasis on the inclusion of the Gurdaspur District, within which Qadian the headquarters of the Movement was situated, in Pakistan. The Khalifatul Masih appointed Shaikh Bashir Ahmad, an able senior advocate, to represent the Movement before the Commission. When the Commission started hearing the arguments, the