Page 56 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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was taken up with the Ruler concurrently with that of the appointment of an Indian
Trade Agent and with the same result (paragraph 93 above). The Pakistan
Government did not, however, pursue the matter, and in September 1951 their
Foreign Minister when passing through Bahrain informed a member of the Agency
staff that the Pakistan Government wished to have a representative in Bahrain
but that they had restrained themselves from appointing one out of deference for
Persian feeling.f04) This was confirmed by the Secretary of the Pakistan
Department of External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations in a conversation at
the Foreign Office at the beginning of 1953, which was concerned primarily with
Pakistan representation at Kuwait.O In May 1953 with the prior approval of
Her Majesty’s Government the Pakistan Minister in Bagdad visited Bahrain and
stated that he proposed to arrange for regular visits there by a Pakistan Consular
Officer to facilitate the grant and renewal of Pakistan passports.(,u;) Subsequently
the Pakistan Government stated that their Vice-Consul at Basra would be paying
periodic visits to Bahrain (and Kuwait). Her Majesty’s Government raised no
objection and suggested that the Political Resident should be informed of such
visits in advance to enable him to make the necessary arrangements.C”) The
proposal was communicated to and approved by the Ruler. A visit was paid
accordingly by the Pakistan Vice-Consul at Basra in December 1953.
99. In November 1947 a Pakistan warship visited Bahrain. The Ruler was
informed of the proposed visit but not consulted and it was agreed that this
procedure should be followed in future visits by Commonwealth warships.('**) In.
May 1951 the Collector of Customs at Karachi visited Bahrain to discuss the
possibility of taking concerted action to prevent the smuggling of gold from
Bahrain into Pakistan. He was satisfied that there was little that could be done
at Bahrain and that the Pakistan Government must make all the necessary
arrangements to stop the traffic at their end. In 1953 the Governor-General of
Pakistan spent a night at Bahrain as guest of the Political Resident on his way to
Saudi Arabia. The Ruler was annoyed that no direct communication had been
made to him by the Pakistan Government about the visit.C00)
100. There are a substantial number of Pakistanis resident in Manamah,
mostly petty shopkeepers, and amongst the oil company’s employees (paragraph 96
above). They are well-behaved. The Ruler and his people have sympathies with
Pakistan as a Muslim country but do not respect her to the same extent as India.
They have long-standing trade and other connections with India and few with
Pakistan, and since the refusal of the Pakistan Government in 1949 to devalue their
rupee at the same time as the Indian rupee and sterling (chapter 1, paragraph 36)
legitimate trade between Bahrain and Pakistan has practically ceased.
(g) The Uni red Stares of America
101. In 1941 after obtaining the Ruler's concurrence His Majesty’s
Government agreed to the appointment of a United States Naval Observer at
Bahrain on the understanding that his status would be similar to that of United
States Naval Observers in British territory and that his official dealings with the
Bahrain Government would be conducted through the Political Agent.(2"‘) He only
remained for a few months in Bahrain and was then transferred to Basra. In 1943
the United States Government pressed for the appointment of a Consul at Bahrain.
With great difficulty they were eventually persuaded to be content with visits to
Bahrain by their Consul at Dhahran.(3J2) About this time the refinery at Sitrah was
being extended and a considerable number of Americans of a rough type were
employed there. The United States authorities were much concerned about the
trial of offences committed by them and were assured that any serious case involving
an American could be tried in the Political Agent’s Court before a jury consisting
of a majority of Americans or with the aid of three or four American assessors^03)
In 1944 the United States Government decided to appoint a Consul at DhahranC01)
(m) P R- to F-0. 1013/16 of October 4, 1951 (EA 1013/20 of 1951).
(,M) F.O. to P.R. Despatch 10 (EA 1903/1 of January 26. 1953).
('”) P.R. to F.O. 1902/2/53 of May 19. 1953 (EA 1903/2 of 1953).
(*') F.O. to C.R.O. EA 1903/3 of November 3. 1953.
(!**) C.R.O. to F.O. Ext. 150/48 of January 20. 1948 (E 12223/66/91 of 1948).
(;*) f-R. to F.O. Despatch 27 of March 5. 1953 (EA 1631/9 of 1953).
( ) -5 t0E-2- P Z I46°/41 Of March 26. 1941 (E 988/220/91 of 1941).
( ) I.O. to F.O. 1736/44 of April 24. 1944.
(*”) F.O. to U.S. Embassy. E 4422/251/91 of July 29. 1944.
( U4) I.O. to F.O. Ext. 2535/44 of June 13. 1944 (E 3364/2521/91 of 1944).