PAKISTAN AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA

Pakistan comprises of two regions, one lying to the north west and the other to the north east of the Dominion of India, respectively called Western Pakistan and Eastern Pakistan and separated from each other by about 1,000 miles of Indian territory. It is because of the geographical situation of its eastern region that Pakistan is interested in South-East Asia. Eastern Pakistan has a common frontier with Burma and this frontier is about 500 miles from the Eastern frontier of IndoChina or even less from that of Siam. Bangkok is about 1,000 miles from Dacca and Rangoon about three-fourths that distance. Both Siam and Indo-China open out on the South China Sea which is separated from the rest of the Pacific by the numerous islands of the Philippines archipelago. To the south of Burma is Malaya and beyond Malaya are the Indonesian islands. Such is Pakistan's situation m relation to the lands and seas of South-East Asia.