Historic Struggle for Pakistan (1857 – 1947)

The War of Independence – (1857 A.D.)

The episode of the renaissance of the Indian Muslims, which

culminated in their political awakening and resulting in the birth of Pakistan,
was initiated by the failure of their national struggle for independence in
1857, A.D. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan did a yeoman’s service to discuss, in a
very logical and candid fashion, the underlying causes and events of this
movement in his famous dissertation “Causes of the Indian Mutiny.” He
recorded the various factors responsible for distancing the rulers and the
ruled, which had adversely affected the Muslims. He pointed out the overall
wrong policy of the English, official patronage of the Christian missionaries,
unbridled exploitation of the masses by the Hindu Money Lenders, rampant
unemployment, and devastation of the indigenous industry, were some of the
causes, which were focused by Sir Syed. Hindus had participated in the 1857
struggle, alongside the Muslims but they subsequently joined hands with the
English, thus bringing down the wrath entirely on the Muslims. The rulers
took stern action against the Muslims. The properties of the innumerable
Muslims were confiscated and harsh treatment was meted out to them. The
doors of army and many other important institutions were slammed in their
face. They were expelled from all the important Government posts and
Hindus were favoured on their expense.

The Singular Achievement of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, a renowned political leader of the 19th Century,
adopted various measures to keep the Muslim morale high and their hopes
kindled. His endeavours were to ensure the political rehabilitation of the
Muslims, along with their renaissance and social, economic and educational
progress and advancement. First of all he tried to establish (through many
pamphlets) that the Muslims could live peacefully under the English rule if
their religious, social and economic matters were not interfered with. After
that he focused all his attention on the education for Muslims. He started an
educational movement in Aligarh after launching various educational
institutions. His aim was to equip Muslims with modern education to enable
them to occupy a reasonable share of government jobs in comparison to the
Hindus. His greatest achievement was to establish a school and then to
convert it into Aligarh College in 1877
A.D. Highly qualified teachers as well as an English principal and English
teachers were appointed to eliminate the mutual hatred among the Muslims
and the English.

Anti-Muslim Movements

The English were not only pleased with the Hindus but thought it
expedient to get their co-operation on a better footing, as they were in a
majority. The Hindus started demanding the establishment of English type
political institutions, in view of their pre-ponderant majority and on the other
hand started movements for the revival of ancient Hindu civilization with the
aim of establishing “Ram Raj” in India. The most important movement
among these was the “Arya-Samaj”. It started working on the theme of
expelling the Muslims from India as they were the intruders. Apart from this,
the Hindus launched an anti-Urdu campaign just because this language had
developed during the period of Muslim rule. An atmosphere of confrontation
between the two communities developed due to the demand of replacing
Urdu by the Hindi language, in Devnagiri Script, in the Government Offices
and the Courts. All this resulted in anxiety among the Muslims to safeguard
their culture and way-of-life whereas the educated Hindus started organizing
themselves politically. Under the circumstances a political party by the name
of “Indian National Congress” was launched in 1885 on the instigation of
Lord Dufferin, the Governor General, aimed at establishing British type of
institutions (like Legislative Assemblies) in India. The members should be
elected, while only the educated or the owners of property shall have the right
to vote. The Muslims were lagging behind the Hindus in English Education
and had been rendered quite destitute as a result of the 1857 uprising. Hence
these suggestions about the voting rights were utterly against their interest.
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan advised the Muslims to keep aloof from the Congress
to counteract this situation, because he was of the view that Congress stood
for political domination of India by the Hindus. Sir Syed was of the view that
Hindus and Muslims should have the right to separate electoral lists to elect
their representatives. Hindus were dead against this proposal. The Muslims
remained aloof from Congress as per advice of Sir Syed.

Demand for Separate Electorate

Under the 1892 “Legislative Councils of India Act”, a limited

number of elected Indians were allowed to be inducted through local
governments, Universities; Chambers of Commerce and Cultural
Associations electorate. It resulted in most of the elected members to those
Legislative Councils being Hindus. Even if a Muslim did get elected, he had
to cut a sorry figure! The Muslims opted to start a movement to achieve
“Separate Electorates” to cope up with this situation. A situation arose during
that period, which clearly focused the attention of the Muslims on “Separate-
Electorate” as a safeguard to their Rights and Interests. The British
Government partitioned provinces in 1905, A.D. Assam was amalgamated
with East-Bengal with a separate Legislative Assembly and Board of
Revenue. The division of Bengal improved the percentage of the Muslims
vis-à-vis Hindu population in East Bengal. The Hindus launched a violent
agitation against this division in the whole of Bengal, creating a law and
order situation. It was in this backdrop of anti-Muslim Movements,
especially the agitation against the Partition of Bengal that a deputation of
Muslims met the Viceroy, Lord Minto, in Simla, in October 1906, to plead
for the right of the Muslims to elect their own representatives through
“Separate Electorates” in all the Legislative Councils. The deputation
asserted that the Muslims were entitled to have their own elected
representatives to safeguard their interests in all the Legislative Councils
on the grounds of having a distinct and separate identity from a cultural and
ideological perspective. Simla Deputation was a sign of Muslim political
awakening and this had a special bearing in the history of Muslims of India.
They were taking part in political activities for the first time, as a separate
Muslim entity, after the War of Independence (1857 A.D.).

Setting-up of All-India Muslim League

This was the emergent situation which induced the Muslim leaders of
India to hold a big meeting in Dacca on December 30, 1906 to establish a
party of their own by the name of “All India Muslim League”. The basic aim
was to achieve the right of separate electorate for the Muslims and to
safeguard the interests of Muslims. It was due to their exertions that the
Muslims earned the right to elect a limited number of their representatives to
the Legislative Councils through separate electorates vide the “1909 – Indian
Legislative Act.” The Congress opposed it tooth and nail! After a few
months, Elections were held for these Legislative Assemblies. The Muslims
elected their representatives through their own votes. The Congress had
already demanded ‘Self-Rule’. Muslim League too put up a demand for “An
appropriate self-Government” in India through a Resolution in 1913. This
resolution was backed by Mohammad Ali Jinnah (later Quaid-i-Azam) and
he joined the All India Muslim League shortly afterwards. The real aim
behind this resolution was to maintain the separate “Muslim National
Identity’ in any ‘Indian Self Government.

It was due to Quaid-i-Azam’s efforts that Congress and the Muslim

League agreed in 1916, to co-operate for a joint struggle to achieve self-
Government. A noticeable feature of this accord was that Congress accepted
the right of Muslims to elect their representatives through separate electorates
thus conceding their separate national identity. It was an important decision
in the political history of India to safeguard the rights of the Muslims. The
Congress had practically accepted the fact that both the nations, i.e. Hindus
and Muslims, cannot jointly struggle for the freedom of India until their
separate national identity is conceded.

Khilafat Movement

Turkey sided with Germany in the World War-I. Turkey too suffered
defeat with Germany. The Indian Muslims got quite a set-back. The Muslim
army of India participated fully in World War I on the side of the English.
During this the English had assured the Muslims that Turkish Caliphate
would come to no harm after the end of war. But Turkish suzerainty was
abolished entirely in the Middle East area previously under their control
reducing them to a very weak position. The Muslims launched a movement
to restore the Caliphate, as the Turkish Sultan was the Caliph of all the
Muslims. The Government enacted a Bill in 1919, called Rawlett Act to
suppress every kind of anti-Government agitation ruthlessly. Quaid-i-Azam
resigned from the membership of the Imperial Legislative Council in protest
at the passage of that Bill. The Hindus were also against this Bill. Hence the
Congress and Leaders of the ‘Khilafat Movement’ jointly decided to launch a
“Non-cooperation Movement” against the Government, stressing the fact that
the Movement will be totally non- Violent. This movement continued for
about two years successfully but the attitude of the Hindus was based on
insincerity. For example the Muslims were encouraged to close down the
Aligarh Muslim University in protest and migrate out of India but the Hindus
refused to join such an effort. Mr. M.K. Gandhi expressed his helplessness in
closing down the Benaras Hindu University as the Hindu nationalist leader,
Mr. Maddan Mohan Malviya did not agree. The plea of the Muslims was
ignored. A protest rally burst into violence and torched a police station,
incinerating twenty one policemen inside, on February 05, 1922 in ‘Chaura
Chori”, a place in U.P. The Hindu Leader, M.K. Gandhi called-off this
agitation. It may be pertinent to point out that the Non-cooperation
Movement and Khilafat Movement had joined hands and the prospects of the
Muslim demands being accepted were quite bright. Gandhi, therefore, called
off the Movement on the pretext of “Chaura Chori” incident. This decision
made it impossible to continue the ‘Khilafat-Movement’. Maulana
Mohammad Ali Johar, who was behind bars, called Gandhi’s decision
wrong. This situation resulted in a split between the Hindus and the Muslims.
The Hindus launched “Shudhi and “Sangthun” movements. The “Shudhi”
movement was aimed at converting back to Hinduism all those Muslims
whose ancestors were Hindus, and the “Sangthun” movement was aimed at
training the Hindus in Warfare Arts. These movements resulted in Hindu-
Muslim riots on a large scale.

14- Points of Quaid-i-Azam

The Hindu political parties like Congress and Hindu Mahasabha

started emphasizing that the right of separate electorate acquired by the
Muslims should be abolished, as it was harmful for the idea of a United
Indian Nation. Under these circumstances the Hindu-Muslim differences
started increasing. An All-Parties Committee was convened under the
leadership of Mr. Motilal Nehru. The report of this committee was debated
upon in Calcutta in an All-Parties Convention in December 1928. Quaid-i-
Azam put up a few important amendments in the “Nehru Report”. These
were about the reservation of one-third seats for the Muslims in the Central
Assembly, allocation of seats in the Punjab and Bengal on the basis of
population, and entrusting the Residual Authority to the center. These
amendments were turned down by the Hindus. Quaid-i-Azam was, therefore,
forced to say, “This is our parting of the ways!” As a reaction to this
development the following ‘Fourteen-Points’ of Quaid-i-Azam formed the
basis of the future political struggle of the Muslims:-

 Federal System of Government where the provinces would have a

definite mandate.

 Equal provincial autonomy system.

 Effective and adequate representation to the minorities in all the

Provincial Legislative Assemblies WITHOUT reducing any majority to
any equality or a minority.

 One-Third Seats for the Muslims in the Central Legislature.

 Separate-Electorates.

 No territorial adjustment in Punjab, Bengal and North Western

Province to affect the majority of Muslims.

 All the communal/religious groups to enjoy full freedom.

 No Legislature to pass a Bill without approval of the majority members

of the community being affected by that Bill.

 Sind to be separated from the Bombay Presidency.

 Application of reforms to N.W.F.P. and Baluchistan

 Adequate and satisfactory constitutional protection to all the Muslim

cultural, educational, linguistic, religious, personal law and benevolent
institutions.

 Adequate quota for the Muslims in employments.

 Every provincial and central cabinet to include at least one-third

Muslim ministers.

 No amendment should be done to the constitution without the

concurrence of the participating state/provinces.

The Historical Allahabad Address of Allama Iqbal

The annual meeting of Muslim League in 1930 was held in Allahabad.

The Islamic Philosopher, Allama Mohammad Iqbal presided. Referring to the
history of Hindu-Muslim relations he explicitly alluded that in his opinion
the only solution of the Hindu-Muslim problem in India was to establish an
independent separate sovereign country consisting of the Areas where the
Muslims were in a majority, especially the North-Western Part of India. This
country would represent the Universal Brotherhood of the Man as per Islam.
This was a crying need of the down- trodden humanity then. Allama
Mohammad Iqbal was very popular among the Muslim youth due to his
inspiring nationalistic poetry. His poetry had fired the imagination of the
youth and they had been yearning to revive the glory of Islam in India for the
last many years. The idea of Allama Mohammad Iqbal to set up a separate
Muslim country created a fresh zeal among them and they launched a
movement to achieve this Goal. The young students in England also started
a campaign on these lines. M/s Chaudhri Rehmat Ali, Aslam Khattak,
Inayatullah Khan, Shaikh Muhammad Sadiq and Khawaja Tariq Rahim were
in the fore-front. They coined a new word “Pakistan” by joining the initial
letters of the North-Western Muslim Provinces as the name for this New
Muslim Country.

The Anti-Muslim Policies of the Provincial Congress Governments

During this period, three rounds of Round Table Conference were held
in London, from 1930 to 1932, to deliberate on solving the political tangle of
India. Many prominent politicians and intellectuals of India took part,
including the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal. The stubborn behaviour of the
Hindus blocked all the efforts to find a means for protecting the Legitimate
Rights of the Muslims.

In spite of the failure of the Round Table Conferences, the British

Government enacted a new Bill, called “The Government of India Act –
1935”, to accede additional political privileges to the people of India. India
was accordingly divided into 11 provinces with a legislative assembly in
each. The provinces were given internal autonomy with a representative
government. General elections were held in all the Provinces in 1937
according to the above Act. Majority of the 11 provinces opted for a
Congress Government. This ushered a new round of Hindu- Muslim
relations. Under Congress Governments, the rights of the Muslims were
brutally trampled on and the Muslims of U.P./C.P. and Bihar had to face
very harsh treatment. “Bund-e-Matram” was adopted as a national anthem by
most of the Congress Governments. This ‘ODE’ is part of a Novel by a
Bengali Hindu, Bunkum Chander Chatterji, titled “Anand Muth” (A Hindi
Word meaning “Abode of Peace”). This Novel was based on the “Sunyasi”
(Meaning the Hindu Hermits) Movement against the Muslim rulers of
Bengal. The ‘ODE’ was set in a scene where a “Sunyasi” places his head on
the feet of the ‘Kali-Devi” (A Hindu goddess of Destruction) and sings: “O
mother! We will not rest in peace until we have rid our sacred land of these
Demons! (Meaning Muslims).”

That is why it was considered derogatory to the Muslim sentiments.

Anti-Muslim riots resulted mostly from the recitation of this notorious song
in the meetings and processions. The Hindu youth adopted the tactics of
carrying the Idol of the Hindu Leader, M.K. Gandhi, and intruded into the
Muslim Schools and Madrassahs chanting this song, and tried to install
Gandhi’s Idol there. This always created Hindu-Muslim riots. Quaid-i-Azam
said that the song emanates hatred.

The Second World War started in Europe in September 1939. The

Governor General of India declared that India was too at war alongside
Britain. All the Congress Provincial Governments resigned in protest on the
plea that the Governor General had no right to declare India being at war
without prior consultation of the Representative Governments. The Indian
Muslims celebrated this occasion as a “Day-of-Deliverance” because the
Muslim existence had been made quite miserable by these Governments.
 The Congress, in fact, was pressing the English to grant Independence
to India as one United India on the basis of “One-Nation Theory” as per
Congress desire. But the Muslims had been roused by a fresh awakening for
independence as a result of the Allahabad Address (1930) of Allama
Mohammad Iqbal. Their sweeping aspiration was the feeling of being a
Nation as Muslims, who must have their own country to order their lives in
accordance with their own values! They had experienced the suppression of
Muslims’ rights by the Congress Provincial Ministries established under the
Government of India Act – 1935. They had realized that life under abject
slavery of the Hindu Majority in a United India would be their lot if they did
not get their separate country.

Historic Resolution of the Sind Assembly

Sind Muslim League Conference was convened in October 1938,

presided by Quaid-i-Azam. This conference approved an explicit resolution
recommending to the All India Muslim League to prepare a Constitutional
Scheme for complete Independence of the Indian Muslims. The Act of 1935
had envisaged a Federal Govt. in INDIA. This resolution emphatically
repudiated the Federal Scheme because the attitude of the Congress-
Provincial Government had proved that it was against the interests of the
Muslims.

Pakistan Resolution

The situation had reached a stage where the only representative party
of the Muslims, i.e., the Muslim League, decided to launch the practical steps
necessary to establish a separate Muslim country. A meeting was held in
Lahore in March 1940, participated by Muslim representatives from all over
India. A resolution was approved recommending establishment of an
Independent Muslim country comprising the Muslim Majority Areas in the
North-West and North-East of INDIA, so that the Muslim could live
under their own system of Govt: in accordance with their typical social,
cultural and political values.

This Resolution gave the Muslims of INDIA a clear cut aim. A

movement to achieve this objective was launched engaging the whole of the
Muslims as a Nation. They sank their sectarian differences and participated
irrespective of age. All converged on achieving their goal as adherents of a
Single-Book, Al –Quran, and One-Allah and one- Messenger.

The Hindus started the “Quit India” movement during the War to
press the English for accepting their dividends. This campaign failed inspite
of severe disturbances at many places. The majority of Muslims remained
aloof in this movement. Quaid-i-Azam reacted to this campaign by raising
the slogan “Divide India & Quit!”

Different Proposals of the British and the Demand for Pakistan

The Hindu-Muslim controversy was increasing day- by-day. Aim of

the Congress was the establishment of ‘RAM-RAJ’ in India. Realizing the
gravity of the situation, the British Government dispatched a Parliamentary
Delegation to India in 1942, with Sir Stafford Cripps as its Head. It held
parleys with the Leaders of Congress, Muslim League and other significant
parties and informed them of their proposals. The Central Point was the
setting up of a new Indian Union, just like other Dominions under the
British Crown but totally independent in its Domestic and Foreign Affairs.
The Indian Constitution should incorporate a provision for any Province to
opt out of the Union. The Muslim League rejected the proposal on the
grounds:-
 1. The Government Declaration about one Indian-Union is against the
wishes and constitution of the All India Muslim League, as it does not
believe in the so-called unity of India.

2. The proposed Legislative Assembly was to take decision on important

issues by a simple majority. Muslims having only about twenty five
percent representation will become subservient to the majority
permanently.

3. It had no specific procedure mentioned for joining/quitting the Union.

Quaid-i-Azam rejected the proposals as very un-balanced and highly

injurious to the Muslims because it did not concede the demand for Pakistan
in clear and un-equivocal terms. The Right of Self-Determination to the
Muslims was not admitted too. The Congress rejected the proposal because
it smacked of Pakistan. It held the Dissociation clause to be a “Bone of
Contention”.

The Governor General, Lord Wavell announced a Plan in June, 1945 to

solve the constitutional tangle which hinted out the reformation of the
Viceroy’s Administrative Council. The Viceroy called a Meeting in Simla of
all the prominent leaders of India in this context. The constitutional
differences were discussed but the Congress’ intransigence blocked any
decision. The Simla Conference proved a failure and the Viceroy declared
it so himself. The most important aspect of this Wavell plan, which the
foresight of Quaid-i-Azam could well discern, was the absence of any
constitutional clause to stop this temporary arrangement becoming
permanent! The chances were for the permanent majority of Hindus in the
Central Government to subjugate the Muslims permanently in a political
bondage.

The Conclusive Elections of 1945-46

Quaid-i-Azam insisted on the establishment of Pakistan and finding a

permanent solution of this important constitutional problem instead of
temporary arrangements. Quaid-i-Azam openly declared that the acceptance
of Wavell Plan will jeopardize the demand for Pakistan for all times to come.
This was the occasion when the role of the Muslim League as the only
representative body of the Muslims was challenged. Quaid-i-Azam
demanded the General Elections to be held after the failure of the
Conference. Central and Provincial Elections were held in 1945-46. The
Muslims participated in these Elections on the plank of getting a favorable
decision on Pakistan. There were Thirty (30) reserved Muslim seats in the
Central Assembly; all were bagged by the Muslim League. There were Four
Hundred and Ninety five (495) Muslim Seats in the Provincial Legislative
Assemblies and the Muslim League, by succeeding on (446) Four Hundred
and Forty six of these, proved itself to be the only representative body of
Muslims and the demand by the Muslims was for Pakistan.

The British Government dispatched a Cabinet- Mission in 1946, under

the chairmanship of Lord Pethik Lawrence, to resolve the Hindu-Muslim
problem, as a direct consequence of the results of these Elections. Quaid-i-
Azam expressed his opinion on this occasion and said; “ I would try to
convince the Cabinet Mission that division of India is the only solution of
this problem”. The Cabinet Mission met the Leaders of Congress, as well as
the Muslim League in May 1946. Both these parties submitted their
proposals to resolve the Indian Constitutional Impasse in the Second Simla
Conference separately. The total divergence of views stymied this
Conference and the Cabinet Mission proposed a plan of their own. It
envisaged an Indian Union where the Center would have control of Defence,
Foreign Affairs & Communications. The plan divided India in three groups.
Punjab, N.W.F.P, Sind and Baluchistan were placed in one group, whereas
Assam and Bengal were in another, and the Third group consisted of the rest
of the Hindu-Majority Provinces. A union-Government was to be put in the
Center. As this plan allowed the proposed Provinces/Groups to opt- out of the
Indian Union after Ten-Years, if they so desired, the Muslim League
accepted this Cabinet-Mission Plan on the premise that the Groups being
proposed would ultimately assume the shape of Pakistan. In other words,
Muslim League could discern a clear outline for establishing Pakistan
through this plan. Congress, to start with, accepted this plan, but later on
rejected it, as it was afraid of the fact that the Muslim League must have
accepted because it perceived a clear indication of Pakistan coming into this
plan. This showed clearly that Congress was not going to accept any right or
interests of the Muslims under any circumstances.

A part of the Cabinet Mission Plan dealt with establishing an interim

Government in the Center. The Congress had said after the elections and at
the time of setting-up an interim Government that it would never approve a
proposal granting equal representation to the Muslim League and Congress.
The Viceroy presented a new formula for the interim Government to cury
favour with the Congress. It was to appoint Thirteen (13) Ministers.
Congress was allotted Five, Muslim League three, while Two Ministers from
other Minorities were to be appointed. The Congress rejected this proposal
too, revealing the fact that it wished to control the Levers of Power in the
whole of India by itself alone! Only the Hindus should have the monopoly of
power and the Muslims be kept out of any political power. Although the
Congress rejected the Plan but it agreed to participate in the constituent
assembly being set up under this plan. Since the Congress had rejected the
plan whereas the Muslim League had accepted it, it was incumbent upon the
Viceroy to ask Muslim League to form an interim Government in accordance
with his own declaration to ask the consenting Party to form Interim
Government but the Viceroy did not keep his words and kept on wooing the
Congress to join.

Interim Government of India and the Muslims

The English asked the Congress to form an interim Government in

clear violation of their pledge to the Muslims. The fact was that the Congress
had refused to accept the Cabinet Mission Plan. Keeping in view the
increasing political unrest and communal riots in the country, the
Viceroy decided that it wouldn’t be wise to ignore the Muslim League
completely if the Interim Government was to be successfully run. Muslim
League was, therefore, also invited to join the Interim Government.

At this stage the tussle for the sharing of different Ministries among the
Muslim League and Congress raised its head. The Ministries were, after all,
divided between the two Parties.

This is quite a laudable fact that the performance of the Muslim

League Ministers in the interim Government was better than the Hindu
Majority Party Ministers. The Finance Minister, Mr . Liaquat Ali Khan, of
the interim Government presented such a Revolutionary Budget that it is still
called a ‘Poor Man’s Budget’ in the History.

Division of India

A new Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, arrived in India carrying the

authority to partition India, who started a series of meetings with Quaid-i-
Azam and other political leaders so that a satisfactory procedure could be
evolved for the Transfer of Power. Mountbatten was desirous of keeping
India united at any cost. He stuck till last to the view that the Cabinet Mission
Plan was the most appropriate solution of the constitutional problem of India.
Here was another proof of the English perfidy and bad faith towards the
Muslims. The scheme for the Partition of India was approved after a series of
meetings by Mountbatten with the Notables of India. Lord Mountbatten
announced the plan to Partition of India on June 03,1947. This provided for
the partition of Bengal and Punjab as well. A district of Assam, Sylhet and
North Western Frontier Province were to undergo Referendum, while a Jirga
(Tribal Council of Elders ) of the Sardars of Baluchistan was to be convened,
to ascertain their popular will regarding Pakistan. The Muslims of these areas
decided in favour of Pakistan. Two Partition Commissions were set up,
under the Chairmanship of Sir Cyril Radcliff to decide the Boundary in
Bengal and Punjab. Radcliff allotted some important districts, having a
Muslim majority to India. A Muslim-majority district Gurdaspur was given
to India. This provided a corridor to India for forcibly occupying Kashmir.

This plan for the Partition of India resulted in despondency among the
Hindus. They declared it to be the vivisection of “Mother-Cow”! Armed
Bandits and Goondas (Ruffians) started carnage in Delhi and East Punjab.
There was manslaughter, burning and kidnapping on such a vast scale which
was unprecedented in the history of this sub- Continent. About more than a
million of Muslims were butchered while more than ten million were
deprived of their belongings and homesteads. This was the scenario, which
vitiated the implementation of the 3rd June Plan. Lakhs of Muslims had to
cross a river of blood to reach Pakistan. An exodus of Hindus and Sikhs did
take place as a reaction but the loss of life and property suffered by the
Muslims was unprecedented in history.

A last hurdle in the establishment of Pakistan was put up by the

Congress and the pro-Hindu Governor General, Mountbatten. Congress
declared that the first Governor General of a Free Bharat would be
Mountbatten and proposed a Common Governor General, i.e. Mountbatten,
for both the countries. Quaid-i-Azam successfully check mated this move
and the Muslim League announced that the first Governor General of
Pakistan, on August 14, 1947 would be Quaid-i-Azam himself. It is pertinent
to note that the Hindus, who always maintained a posture of anti-English
sentiments and freedom started their Era of Independence

under an English Governor General! In contrast the Muslims choose their

greatest National Leader, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, as their First
Head of State.

Emergence of the Largest Muslim Country

Here is a cursory glance of the Freedom struggle waged by the

Muslims for a century, which ultimately culminated in 1947 in the shape of
“PAKISTAN” on the disintegration of the European Colonial system. It was,
by population, the biggest sovereign Muslim country in the world and the
fifth largest state to emerge! The struggle was initiated by Sir Syed Ahmad
Khan. Allama Mohammad Iqbal was the one to give it a geographical, as
well as an Ideological shape, and Quaid-i-Azam, through his exceptional
energy and activity, not only diverted the current of history, but changed the
world map by creating a Nation- State, as recorded by the famous American
Historian, Mr. Stanley Wolpert.

Although the Muslims and Hindu representative associations, Muslim

League and Congress respectively, had entered into an agreement, on June
3rd, 1947, to establish two separate states yet the Congress passed an open
Resolution, just eleven days after, on June 14, that the Two Nation Theory,
forming the basis of Partition of India, was an Evil Ideology which would
evaporate soon! In addition to this, the Congress and Hindu Mahasabha
leaders declared that the areas being separated would be taken back by Bharat
soon. These Resolutions still exist and the Hindus keep on expressing such
sentiments to-date. The biggest hurdle in the way of Bharat-Pakistan
rapprochement, for existing as peaceful neighbours, is the mind-set nurtured
by such Resolutions. Quaid-i-Azam, while talking to the Reuter’s
Correspondent, Mr.Duncan Hooper, on Oct 25, 1947, two months after
Pakistan had come into existence, said:

PAKISTAN has come into existence for all times to come because it is based
on the Two Nation Theory which is a perpetual ground reality and not an
obscure vision. Hindustan has been irrevocably partitioned on this basis!”
Quaid-i-Azam also quoted the famous Hindu Professor, Dr.Gadgill, stating
the fact that the Indian-Union was basically a Hindu Nation State or a
Federation of Hindu Nation States. Both these states should, therefore,
accord recognition to each other and live like peaceful neighbours on a
level of equality.
 The ‘Two Nation Theory’ or the ‘Ideology of Pakistan’ is only a
second name of our ‘ISLAMIC IDENTITY’. The Arab countries do not need
to highlight it as they have a 100-percent Islamic Identity! But in South Asia
the need to highlight this Identity was felt because another nation, the
Hindus, was domiciled here which believed in the multiplicity of gods and
possessed a Caste- System* in juxtaposition to ‘Allah’ being One
(TAUHEED) and all Human-Beings enjoying Equal-Status in the Islamic
way of Life. The obvious result of such a divergence in outlook had been that
the Hindus and the Muslims kept on adopting separate highways in each and
every affair of life worth mentioning. Quaid-i-Azam has highlighted our
Islamic Identity and the Two Nation Theory in a very comprehensive way
thus:-

“The difference between the Hindus and Muslims is quite deep and un-
bridgeable. We are a Muslim Nation as per our brilliant Culture and
Civilization. We possess an individual viewpoint and way of life, from
whichever angle we see, be it language or literature, the Fine Arts,
Architecture, Rituals and Calendar, History and Tradition, Aspiration and
Proclivities etc. From every definition of the International Law, we are a
Nation.”

That is the famous ‘Two Nation Theory’, which formed the basis of
‘Two Different Countries’ emerging constitutionally as Independent
countries in the British Indian Empire in 1947. The Hindu majority areas
formed Bharat while the Muslims majority areas became Pakistan. The state
of Jammu and Kashmir, a preponderant Muslim area, should have been
included in Pakistan on this very basis but the Hindus usurped it
treacherously by occupying the major part by sending their Army. The
Kashmiri freedom fighters are struggling to liquidate this aggression.

Although Pakistan has developed many national institutions in the first

six decades with a very remarkable speed and has achieved that status of the
Sixth Atomic Power of the World but it is still not an Islamic Democratic
Welfare State in the real sense as envisioned by Quaid-i- Azam and Allama
Mohammad Iqbal. It is a matter of pride and gratitude that we are still FREE!
We surely possess all the capabilities of developing into an Islamic
Democratic Welfare state. We have all the hopes that our coming generations
will continue to exert on every front to convert the Dream of Quaid-i-Azam
and Allama Mohammad Iqbal to a reality.