CENES of great rejoicing and enthusiasm greeted the address to the Pakistan Constituent Assembly on Thursday [August 14] morning by Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, on the eve of the birth of the new sovereign and independent Dominion which, with its 70 million inhabitants, will be the fifth largest state of the world. The historic event took place in the Sind Assembly Hall, Karachi, at 9 a.m., 15 hours before the new dominion actually came into existence.

His Majesty the King sent his `greetings and warmest wishes on this great occasion.` The Viceroy after conveying his own greetings an added that the close personal contact and the mutual trust and understanding that existed between him and the Quaid-e-Azam were the best omens for future good relations.

`Here I would like to express my tribute to Mr Jinnah. He has my sincere good wishes as your new Governor-General,` he said.

Quaid-e-Azam thanked the King on behalf of the Constituent Assembly for his gracious message. Turning to the Viceroy`s reference to the tolerance and goodwill that the great Emperor Akbar showed to all non-Muslims, Quaid-e-Azam said this was not of recent origins. He added: `It dates back thirteen centuries when our Prophet, not only by words but by deeds, treated the Jews and Christians handsomely after he had conquered them.`•