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Five Borders. Pakistan's claimed 80-odd million population, fifth largest in the world, is split between two land areas at opposite sides of the subcontinent (see map): crowded, fertile East Pakistan, about the size of Wisconsin, and West Pakistan, somewhat larger than Texas. The double territory gives Pakistan five borders to protect, has meant a fabulous expenditure for defense. Almost every sign of backwardness in Pakistan—poor housing, lack of schools—is blamed on the high cost of the army.
Some fanatical Pakistanis agitate for an attack on India: their cry is "On to Delhi. Recover the glory of the Moguls!" But Liaquat knows that war with India would be sure suicide for Pakistan and he is willing to go far to keep peace with his stronger neighbor. Although he is far more secure in his post than Nehru, Liaquat would not last a day if he gave up Kashmir, the rich region claimed by both countries. Kashmir is a prime factor in the restless belligerence of the Pakistanis: they are ready to fight for Kashmir, but they would far rather go ahead with the proposed Kashmir plebiscite, which they are sure Pakistan would win.
Peace with India is important to another Pakistan ambition: industrialization. On his visit to the U.S., Liaquat hopes to persuade American businessmen that Pakistan can keep at peace long enough to be a good investment risk.
Until a trade agreement was signed last week, trade between India and Pakistan had come to a near-standstill. All of East Pakistan's exports & imports, shut out from India, had to go through Chittagong, an overgrown fishing village with a commercial façade. Determined to transform Chittagong into a major port, the government hired Hans Hansen, a Finnish-born American citizen, who was a stevedore before the war. Hansen has cut unloading time in half, increased wharfage space threefold, and imported barges from the Philippines for offshore loading. His job is a shining, rare example of Point Four aid.
Last week, TIME Correspondent Robert Lubar gave an estimate of Pakistan's future: "With foreign technical aid, with peace from India, Liaquat can make something of Pakistan. His people have unity of spirit and a fierce national pride. It is a pride which causes them to dream beyond the limitations of reality, and to be abnormally sensitive about any hint that they are not as good or as great as they think they are. A foreigner who has been watching Pakistan since its inception commented: 'They have pride but sometimes a little too much pride. They're forever stubbing their toes. They try their darndest to be humble, but they can only be humble for a couple of minutes.' "