Hindustan and Pakistan Differences.[Part-II]

Hindustan and Pakistan Differences.
{Part-II}

India accepted an agreement in January 1949, which provided for private sale and exchange of urban immovable property between Hindustan and Pakistan. No sooner was agreement signed; Pakistan leaders and News papers opened a barrage of propaganda to undermine it. The government of Pakistan followed up with an ordinance making it obligatory for any visitor to Pakistan to obtain an income-tax clearance certificate before leaving Pakistan unless his period of stay was less than 15 days at a time and less than 60 days in a year.

In the above circumstances that no displaced person could hope to sell or exchange his urban immovable property at a fair price. The government of Pakistan while supporting the proposal for private sale and exchange of property, in fact rendered it impossible for anyone to arrange sale or exchange without inviting insolvency.

In April 1956, Pakistan proposed a spot verification of claims by a Pakistan team for immovable property of the value of Rs.50 lakhs and above submitted by Muslim evacuees from India. Two years later it was agreed at a conference that claims for urban immovable property of the value of Rs. 5 lakhs and above should be verified by joint teams of Hindustan and Pakistan. The proposal, which Pakistan had made on its own initiative, was however not implemented by its government.

As regards agricultural lands, the principal of government –to-government has been accepted by a joint committee of the two countries. A problem of enormous magnitude and complexity involving hundreds of thousands of houses, shops, factories, workshops and institutions of all kinds, besides million of acres of agricultural land, could be solved only at government level.

The value of urban evacuee property in India does not exceed 20 percent of the value of the corresponding property left in Pakistan. India suggested that properties up to a certain valuation might be exchanged on government-to-government level, properties above that valuation being left open for private sale and exchange.

In 1953, India expressed its willingness to consider the Pakistan suggestion of private sale and exchange, provided the government of Pakistan was prepared to offer a reasonable solution for the properties which would remain undisposed of by private sale and exchange. To Hindustan’s regret, Pakistan refused even to discuss this and other implications of the proposal for private sale and exchange.

[Pakistan and Hindustan Differences will continue.]