The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 197
181 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN is now about to start. A trial that has taken four years in starting, how long it will take in concluding, we do not know. Quite recently, Sheikh Abdullah has made a statement that approaches have been made to him that he could be restored to the position of Prime Minister, if he will agree to the complete integration of Kashmir to India. He has reiterated that the people of Kashmir must be left free to decide what they wish to do. That has been his position for some time, and that is his principal offence; it does not matter whether it amounts to a criminal offence or not, but that is what the Government of India will not tolerate. Question : In these years, from 1948 to 1954, when you were in the U. N. , Sir, what other issues do you feel, were important and that Pakistan played a part in? Khan : Almost the moment Pakistan became a member of the United Nations in 1947, the most important issue then under discussion was the question of Palestine. Pakistan took it upon itself to become the principal non-Arab advocate of the Arab cause in the United Nations and it fought strongly the proposal with regard to the Partition of Palestine and the setting up of the State of Israel. The resolution was adopted towards the end of November, a great tragedy which has had many dire consequences. For one thing, it has driven a wedge between the United States and the West generally and the Arabs. The United States' vehement advocacy of the cause of Israel and the manner in which the resolution on Partition was finally pushed through, perhaps deserve a little explanation. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the debate was to be concluded in the General Assembly and the vote was to be taken late that afternoon or that evening. On the counting of heads, after members had declared their support of the scheme of Partition or their opposition to it, it was quite clear that the resolution did not have a two-thirds majority. Among others, General Romulo, the Permanent Representative and Ambassador of the Philippines, had gone to the rostrum and in a passionate speech declared that his country was opposed to partition and that his instructions were to vote against it. The delegate of Haiti had gone to the rostrum and declared himself in the same vein. Liberia had not gone to the rostrum but Mr. Dennis,