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Feature: The making of a nation
The creation of Pakistan was not a simple job. In fact, it was the culmination of years of hard work for a separate identity of the Indian Muslims.
In 1905, the Liberal Party of Britain won the elections and announced that elections would be held in India too. This was alarming news for the Muslims as they were a minority. Aga Khan led a delegation of the Muslims to press Lord Minto II to hold elections on the basis of separate electorates and also demanded weightage for the Muslims. Minto’s acceptance of the demand was a crucial turning point for the Muslims. This meant that the British had indirectly accepted them as a separate party in India by giving them the rights equal to the Hindus and by listening to their voice separately. Now the need arose for a separate political party for the Muslims, a platform where they could express themselves and which would safeguard their interests. The year 1906 saw the founding of the Muslim League. This meant that the views of the Muslims would be heard separately at the highest level.
The Khilafat Movement (1918-22)
Launched to save the Caliphate from dismemberment after the First World War, this movement made clear to the British the true sentiments of the Muslims. It failed to save the Caliphate. However, it taught the Muslims many valuable lessons. They learnt to organize themselves for pursuing political objectives, and all sects and classes of the Muslims came together to protest. They stood united in the pursuit of a common objective.
Jinnah’s 14 points (1929)
Jinnah was initially a staunch supporter of Hindu-Muslim unity. But the attitude of the Congress and other extremist Hindu groups forced him to change his views. He resigned from the Congress in 1913 and started working solely for the Muslims. He presented his 14 points at the annual session of the League in March 1929, in Delhi, in which he demanded a weak federal system with maximum authority for the provinces, and an increase in Muslim representation in the Assemblies.
The Allahabad address (1930)
At the annual session of the All-India Muslim League in December 1930, at Allahabad, Allama Iqbal put forward his “dream” of a separate Muslim state. He clearly stated that any struggle for a constitution in India would be in vain as no constitution could possibly meet the demands of the different communities. He said that unless Muslims were free, they would not be able to develop themselves. For this, he said, the amalgamation of the Muslim majority areas, namely Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP, Punjab and Eastern Bengal, was inevitable.
Pakistan National Movement (1933)
The name “Pakistan” was coined by Chaudhry Rehmat Ali, a student in London, who used to visit the Muslim leaders during their stay in London for the Round Table Conferences (1930-1932). His first most popular pamphlet Now or Never; Are we to live or perish forever? was published on January 28, 1933 in which he emphasized the importance of the Two-Nation theory and suggested the creation of three Muslim states:
1. Bang-i-Islam: area of Bengal and Assam.
2. Usmanistan: area of Hyderabad Deccan.
3. Pakistan: Punjab, NWFP, Kashmir, Sindh, and Balochistan.
The Congress ministries (1937-1939)
Elections were held after the passage of the Government of India Act (1935). These were won with a huge majority by the Congress which started inhuman activities after assuming control. Hindu-Muslim riots broke out in several places. It was not until December 22, 1939, that the Congress resigned. The Muslims celebrated this day as the “Day of Deliverance”.
The Pakistan Resolution (1940)
The most prominent and dominant factor in the politics of India was religion. Now it had become quite clear that the subcontinent had to be divided to avoid civil war. Jinnah stated, “Pakistan is a right of the Indian Muslims, not a favour from anyone, because the Muslims are a nation, and, as a nation, have the right to ask for their own state.” It was by now very obvious that the British would leave soon and Quaid-i-Azam did not want the question of Muslim nationalism to remain unanswered. Therefore the league began pressuring the British for some sort of self-rule.
The 27th annual session of the Muslim League was held in Lahore on March 22, 1940. Here, the Quaid presided over the meeting. On March 23, 1940 the Lahore Resolution (later known as the Pakistan Resolution) was moved by Maulvi Fazlul-Haq, which was a great achievement for the Muslim League. Although the idea of Pakistan was criticized by both the Hindus and the British. The Muslims supported it with extraordinary zest as a separate homeland for the Muslims was something that the Muslims of the subcontinent had hoped for long.
Gandhi-Jinnah talks (1944)
Gandhi was alarmed at the Muslims demanding their own state. He invited Jinnah to discuss the situation and tried to negotiate. Gandhi wanted an undivided India but Jinnah, now representing the Muslims of India, opposed the idea.
Gandhi then tried for a loose federation and autonomy within the provinces, but Jinnah demanded Pakistan. Thus the talks ended in failure for Gandhi, and the Muslims became more determined than ever to press for a separate homeland.
British efforts
* Simla Conference (1945) — The Simla Conference held by Lord Wavell was aimed at curbing the Muslims’ feelings of nationalism by offering some concessions, e.g. equal representation in the Executive Councils and more autonomy within the provinces, but now it became clear that the British were desperately trying to prolong their period of rule and would go to any extent to achieve their goal. They were therefore ignored and this conference ended in failure. No feelings of friendship were generated between the different parties, but it only strengthened the Muslims’ resolve to achieve some sort of self-rule.
* Cabinet Mission (1946) — This Mission led by Pethick-Lawrence was also a desperate last ditch effort to see if the two groups, i.e. Muslims and Hindus, could be reconciled by offering certain hollow incentives and proposed reforms, but it failed to attract the intended Indian attention and loyalty. It acted as a catalyst for triggering the strong sentiments of the Muslims thereby increasing the intensity of their movement.
* The June 3 Plan (1947) — Mountbatten became viceroy in March 1947. He met the leaders but remained pro-Congress. After several meetings, he came up with a scheme which would form the basis of the transfer of power, known as the June 3 Plan in accordance with the date it was passed on. It announced a clear partition, the borders of two states being demarcated by a Boundary Commission. It gave NWFP, Balochistan and Sindh to the Muslims, and gave authority to the legislatures of Punjab and Bengal to decide which side they wanted to join. Princely states were also given the right to decide accession to either country.
Independence and partition (August 14, 1947)
Bengal was divided into east and west, and Calcutta, with all its jute-processing facilities, was declared as India’s share. This part contained the headworks of the three rivers Ravi, Sutlej and Beas, an excuse India later used to cut off the water supply to Pakistan (leading to the Indus Water Treaty, 1960). Junagarh, Mamavedar, Gurdaspur, and Hyderabad Deccan went to India as well. Kashmir was occupied by India, even though the people living there supported Pakistan.
The aftermath
Millions of Muslims migrated from India to Pakistan in the world’s largest known exodus in history. They were mercilessly slaughtered at various stops by violent mobs. The rehabilitation of the refugees was a major problem, along with a proper division of financial and armed assets.
Thanks to the dynamic leadership of the founding fathers, Pakistan was not only able to stand on its feet but also began to prosper day by day. We owe all we have to Allah and to the selfless leaders who fought for the independence of the Muslims of the sub-continent to give them a separate identity.
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