Historical: For centuries, the Indian subcontinent has been torn by bloody clashes between Moslems and Hindus. When independence was granted from Britain in 1947, the Moslem League headed by Mohammed Ali Jinnah won demand for a separate state to give Moslems protection from predominantly Hindu. India. Because the Moslems were concentrated in two distinct regions, Pakistan was created in two parts, East and West, separated by 1,000 miles of Indian territory.

The partition was followed by widespread communal strife between Moslems and Hindus, costing more than million lives and uprooting millions more,

The Conflicts: Relations between India and Pakistan remained hostile and erupted in two wars, in 1948‐49 and in 1965, over the disputed state of Kashmir and other territories. The hostility was fed by religious persecutions:

Relations also became strained between East and West Pakistan. The Vest, dominated by the Punjabi, is the seat of government and relatively prosperous. The East, dominated by the Bengalis, is dependent upon the exportation of jute and resentful of what it views as economic exploitation by the West.

The demand for autonomy in the East culminated the campaign of the Awami League, headed by Sheik Mujibur Rahman, whose six‐point program called for a loose federation that amounted to virtual self‐government for the East. Extremist leaders came to the fore, demanding outright independence for a new Bengali state.

Governmental Developments: India retained an electorial form of government, now headed by Mrs. Indira Gandhi, whose New Congress party won a landslide victory in the last election. In Pakistan, military rule has prevailed after continued turmoil in both parts of the country. “In 1969 Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan resigned in. the face of widespread political unrest, and martial, law Was proclaimed under Gen. Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan, who was named President.

The Present Crisis: In December, 1970, Pakistan held its first national election in 23 years under a proclamation that the nation would return to civilian rule. Of 313 seats in. the National Assembly, 167 were won by the Awami League. On March 1, President Yahya postponed the convening of the Assembly, touching off widespread rioting and strikes in the East.

On March 25; the national army moved to crush the East Pakistani separatist movement. The repression resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, according some observers, and sent millions of Bengalis across the border into India, which supports the; rebels.

Major Power Interests: In August, 1971, India signed a 20‐year friendship treaty with the Soviet Union. Pakistan has received backing from Communist ‘China. The United States, following a visit by Mrs. Gandhi, has‐announced a suspension of arms shipments to Pakistan.