Prime Minister of Kashmir continues...

Machinery is not available in the world at present for such factory, but a friend of mine has a complete plant available which is being taken by another Maharaja. If I have assurance about internal security I can draw out capital for this factory.”

Q. “Talking about J. V. Road and the B. C. Road you said you could not work wonders and you were not responsible for what has been done already. But now that people are doing without sugar, salt, cloth, etc., if definite proof against officers is given in this respect, will action be taken against them?”
A. “I am willing to take action but it is now time to act. Luckily today I had an interview with Col. Shah, a representative of the Pakistan Government. I told him ‘If you want to be friendly with us, give us our petrol, our cloth, our salt and our sugar. Re-establish road and rail communications, guaranteeing safety of passage. If you give us that, that willbe a gesture of friendship.’ This is what one can do.”

Q. “Could you tell us something about the border situation in Poonch? There are rumours that the Kashmir military post has been set fire to.”
A. “This is quite wrong. I have just received a report from the Military Headquarters. The situation in Poonch has been controlled, but besides 15 seriously wounded soldiers, one Jamader has been killed and some mules and ammunition have been lost. The enemy occupied a fort which we have regained. In the third area, the report is that at Sialkot at the time of parade, men shouted slogans against Kashmir. In Kotli there is some danger to the town and raids are continuing on State borders from Pakistan. They have burnt a number of Rajput and Sikh huts and they are threatening the military and some of the people have been murdered. Then we had trouble near Samba. Gurkha troops were having their meals. From the Pakistan side, whether it was a regular army or otherwise, an attack was made and they took away their guns, ammunition, cartridges and meals.”

TobeContinued...