Fazl-e-Umar — Page 250
Fazle Umar 250 Khalifatul Masih himself moved to Lahore and rendered valuable assistance to the Muslim League both by his advice and by procuring the services of a foreign expert on questions that the Commission would have to take into account in making its report. As was expected the Commission, which was composed of four High Court judges, two Muslim and two non-Muslim, was not able to present a unanimous or majority report and the determination of the boundary was left to the umpire, Sir Cyril (later Lord) Radcliffe. His award came as a profound shock to the Muslims and particularly to the Community, as under it several Muslim majority areas contiguous to the rest of Pakistan were excluded from Pakistan and were included in India. The greater part of the Gurdaspur District, in which Qadian was situated, was also included within India despite a majority of Muslims in the District. The aftermath of the partition of the Punjab proved to be a gruesome tragedy for all the three principal communities in the Punjab, Muslims (including the Community), non-Muslims and Sikhs. A terrible holocaust involving extreme human suffering and misery was let loose on both sides of the newly determined border. An irresistible wave of horror raged unchecked over the greater part of the province. The general populace, with rare exceptions, exhibited a lack of moral and spiritual values that was heartrending. It would serve no useful purpose to enter into a detailed description of the degradation of all human values that was manifested in all the areas that were overtaken by this foul maelstrom. It would be best to draw a curtain over the shameful spectacle. Neither side could be acquitted of blame. The moral guilt was shared by all. There were noble, courageous and heart-warming individual exceptions among all the communities, in which humanity maintained its priority over bigotry, passion and beastliness. For the Community it is a matter of satisfaction that both as individuals and as a Community they came out of this terrible trial, with loss of numerous precious lives and an enormous amount of property, but with their honour bright and unsullied.