CHANCERIESTHE DIPLOMATIC ATLAS

United States Recognizes Pakistan

1947-08-15

Pakistan's western and eastern territories were separated by India. [1] [2]

At 12.30 on 8 October 1947, M. A. H. Ispahani presented his credentials to Harry Truman as Pakistan’s first ambassador in Washington. Partition had created the country less than two months earlier. The United States recognized Pakistan on 15 August, when its Karachi consulate became an embassy under Chargé d’Affaires Charles W. Lewis Jr.; Truman welcomed the new state in a message to Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah. [3] [5]

On 9 August, Lewis had told Jinnah that the consulate was unsuitable for an embassy, and Jinnah had confirmed that his government was setting aside offices and a residence. Accommodation remained so scarce that Lewis urged Washington to hold back additional staff until working and living quarters could be arranged. [2]

The new Washington mission soon sought help for refugees arriving destitute from India. By November, it was seeking credit for refugee relief and a wider program of economic development. On 17 December, the State Department backed efforts to obtain supplies from the War Assets Administration but declined to seek congressional funding for the full development program, directing Pakistan toward loans for individual projects. [4]

Related Diplomats

  1. Mirza Abul Hassan Ispahani [7] [3]

Sources

  1. The South Asia Crisis and the Founding of Bangladesh, 1971

    Partition into two wings, 1970 election, army repression, refugees, China channel and December war

  2. Lewis to the Secretary of State on embassy preparations — FRUS, 9 August 1947

    Telegram 57; file 701.45F11/8–947; body paragraphs 3–4, including p. 164

  3. Harry Truman’s daily appointments, 8 October 1947

    12.30 p.m.: Ispahani presents credentials

  4. Acting Secretary of State to Ispahani on development credit and refugee relief — FRUS, 17 December 1947

    File 845F.51/11–2847; pp. 173–174: November requests, congressional funding, project credit, and War Assets Administration assistance

  5. Recognition, embassy opening, and first Pakistani ambassador — Department of State Bulletin, 1947

    24 August, p. 396: Truman’s message and exchange of ambassadors; 31 August, p. 438: embassy established on 15 August; 21 September, p. 599: Ispahani designated first ambassador

  6. Pakistan — Office of the Historian

    Recognition and Karachi embassy, 15 August 1947

  7. 2017 Year in Review — incoming ambassadors, printed page 73

Related Reading

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United States Recognizes Pakistan. Chanceries Diplopedia. Record b5477b1a98f72ababc4f. https://chanceries.org/research/history/recognition-625aa17f6d/

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