India appears to have achieved considerable success in convincing Britain and others that direct diplomatic and financial pressure on Pakistan is urgently needed if the present tide of refugees from East Pakistan is to be halted.

The joint statement issued in London last night after India’s Foreign Minister, Mr. Swaran Singh, had held separate talks with Mr. Heath and Sir Alec Douglas-Home, refers to the need for "a political solution . . . acceptable to the people of East Pakistan." Behind the carefully chosen words can be glimpsed the out-line of the powerful diplomatic pressure that is being mounted by a number of Governments aimed at forcing President Yahya Khan of Pakistan to halt the military repression and to recall from prison the political leader of East Pakistan, Sheikh Mujib, to resume the talks which were broken off on March 25.

In Paris yesterday, Britain, America, and the other nation involved in the aid-to-Pakistan consortium, unanimously decided not to proceed to their normal allocation meeting in July, when funds of about £16 millions for President Yahya and his administration would normally be approved. The meeting was adjourned without a date for the full consortium being announced.

APPROACHES

At a news conference in London last night, Mr. Swaran Singh made it clear that his Government believes that the most effective measures at the present time are the individual approaches being made to President Yahya by the leaders of a half a dozen countries intimately involved in Indo-Pakistan affairs. It would appear that a number of key figures, which must include Mr. Heath, Mr. Nixon, and Mr. Trudeau, are convinced that confidential, direct, and personal approaches are the best and perhaps the only way to tackle the problem at the moment.

If President Yahya can swallow his pride and contemplate genuine political negotiations with the Awami League, there is the prospect that the consortium countries will reopen the financial tap and permit the aid for 1971-72 to begin flowing. If not, Pakistan’s critical shortage of foreign exchange because of the collapse of her export industries, means certain unrest. There is also the further menace of the Indian Army waiting in the wings and popular pressure building up on Mrs. Gandhi for intervention.

Swaran Singh refused to be drawn on the role of the army. He said any idea of intervention was a hypothetical question which he could not anticipate.

The joint statement issued after the talks in Whitehall said the Indian Foreign Minister and the British Foreign Secretary agreed on the importance of halting the flow of refugees and creating conditions that would enable them to return home. It went on: "It was recognized this would only be possible if they were assured of a secure future. Sir Alec and Mr. Swaran Singh agreed that a political solution must be found which could be acceptable to the people of East Pakistan."