Jinnah Mountbatten Talks
Jinnah Mountbatten talks held on the issue of Kashmir in November. After independence Indian soldiers occupied Kashmir. In response the Pakistan army also entered Kashmir. In November 1947, India and Pakistan’s leaders engaged in bilateral negotiations on the matter of Kashmir at the state level. Firstly Delhi was selected for the meeting, but later it was replaced by Lahore. When meeting time came, the Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru became sick, and deputy prime minister of India, Vallabahi Patel refused to go to Lahore.
Mountbatten Came to Lahore
Governor-General of India Mountbatten came to lahore. Jinnah and Mountbatten discussed the matter for three-and-a-half-hour on November 1, 1947. Mountbatten said India would organize a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir if Pakistan withdrew soldiers from Azad Kashmir. He also said that the Indian troops would remain in the valley and Sheikh Abdullah would continue to serve as the chairperson of the Kashmir government.
Response of Jinnah to Mountbatten
As Jammu and Kashmir was a crucial part of the incomplete partition process, Quaid-i-Azam opposed the unfair plan and insisted that Kashmir belonged to Pakistan. Jinnah also disagreed on a plebiscite under Sheikh Abdullah and the Indian Army. So Jinnah rejected the offer of a referendum because there was an Indian army, which would destroy the referendum’s result.
End of Decision
As India said to gain time, Mountbatten informed the Quaid that, unlike him, he did not have complete control over his country and that he would have to get Nehru and Patel agreement before he could proceed with his plans. Consequently, the talks came to an end, and the situation was left unresolved.
