'File 11/1 VI Muscat Administration Reports and related correspondence' [‎13r] (25/56)

POLITICAL,
significant Political event of the year conEienoed
with an announcement on the Pakistan Radio on the 25th April that
Gwadur should be returned to *ekran. This was followed by an article
in the akistan newspaper "Dawn", and accompanied by a customs block
ade of the land frontier, and posting of Mekran Levies at KarwaA,
Suntsar, Thalang and on the Jiwani - Piskhin road.
3°. The blockade proved ineffective owing to the ease with
which the pickets could be bribed, and the hardships inflicted upon
Pakistan* s own nationals near the border.
51. After representations were made to the Pakistan Government,
assurances were received that that Government had no intention of
cemitting unconstitutiohal or unfriendly acts against Muscat, and
following the lifting of the blockade, conditions quickly reverted ,
to normal* It seems, in fact, that Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. Bai Khan of Mekran was
personally responsible for these manoeuvres and the Pakistan Govern
ment were not at all pleased with him* His action can certainly be
calculated to have retarded any chance of the success of an early
approach to the Sultan for the lease or sale of Gwadur which the
Pakistan Government have been hoping to secure*
POSTAL.
52. None of the Post office savings certificates issued prior
to the transfer of the Muscat Post office to the British General
Post office, can be cashed yet. Severe embarrassment has been caused
lu th f s 9°^ Bulate and to thd Muscat Government on account of the funds
they hold in such securities, on behalf of the Muscat hospital, the
lliscat Infantry Men’s Saving Bank account and Estates of Minors. It
•eems that until India and Pakistan can agree to the basis of financial
liability for such holdings Biere is no hope of satisfaction*
53* In Gwadur the Pakistan Government’s Post office remains,
like the proverbial cuckoo, without the consent of the owner. All
?^ 8 ^P U “ Cat P fi ' re »,nt Tia Karachi la aplt, of dir act sailings
from Gwadur, and several complaints of pilfered postal packets were
received. The telegraph land line was frequently out of order, but
has been reinforced now by the installation of a wireless set, and
a considerable improvement was achieved by the close of the year.
54. mh the introduction of the new B.I.S.N.Co’s "D" service,
consisting of the four new partially air-conditioned vessels "ara,
D^arka, Dumra and Daressa, travel in the Gulf is almost luxurious
passengers, whilst mails are now received regularly every
eight days in either direction, the ships almost invariably crossing
at Jjhscat. he service to Gwadur is, however, only forthnightly, ard
unable to compete with certain seasonal rushes of deck passengers,
SHIPPING.
_ Statistics have been reported in the Trade report and the
only matter of local importance has been the working of the lighter
age and landing, which has been given as a contract to the local
Bhack ®. r , f ith the Ver y considerable increase in shipping
in the Gull generally, twenty to twenty five ships are apt to call
^ ? MUSCat oaj ^°- ,rh ® landing contractors equipnent
Pr ^ tive *** lasvttlolent to cope with such traffic,
and afforta are being made to persuade the Sultan to break the
monopoly and to alio, any agents who wish to serve their own ships.
This would result in Gray Mackenzie A Cot bringing in up to date 1
steel barges