Pakistan Movement(1940-1947)

1. Sami-ur-Rehman(143)
2. Nabeel Shakoor(074)
3. Nouman Zahid(083)
4. Hussain Hadi(133)
5. Kashif Raza(10)

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Simla Conference(June 1945):

To discuss these proposals with the leadership of major Indian parties, Wavell called for a
conference at Simla on June 25, 1945. Leaders of both the Congress and the Muslim League
attended the conference, which is known as the Simla Conference. However, differences arose
between the leadership of the two parties on the issue of representation of the Muslim community.
The Muslim League claimed that it was the only representative party of the Muslims in India and
thus all the Muslim representatives in the Viceroy’s Executive Council should be the nominees of
the party. Congress, which had sent Maulana Azad as the leader of their delegation, tried to prove
that their party represented all the communities living in India and thus should be allowed to
nominate Muslim representative as well. Congress also opposed the idea of parity between the
Cast-Hindus and the Muslims. All this resulted in a deadlock. Finally, Wavell announced the failure
of his efforts on July 14. Thus the Simla Conference couldn’t provide any hope of proceeding
further.

Provincial and General Election(December 1945):

With the failure of the Simla Conference, Lord Wavell announced that the Central and Provincial
Legislature elections would be held in the winter of 1945, after which a constitution-making body would be
set up. He also announced that after the elections, the Viceroy would set an Executive Council that would
have the support of the main Indian political parties. Both the Muslim League and the Congress opposed
the proposal.

Quaid-i-Azam declared that Muslims were not ready to accept any settlement less than a separate
homeland for them and the All India Congress Committee characterized the proposal as vague,
inadequate and unsatisfactory because it had not addressed the issue of independence. Despite this, the
two parties launched huge election campaigns. They knew that the elections would be crucial for the
future of India, as the results were to play an important role in determining their standing. The League
wanted to sweep the Muslim constituencies so as to prove that they were the sole representatives of the
Muslims of Sub-continent, while Congress wanted to prove that, irrespective of religion, they represent all
the Indians.

Both the Muslim League and the Congress promulgated opposite slogans during their campaigns. The
Muslim League presented a one-point manifesto “if you want Pakistan, vote for the Muslim League”.
Quaid-i-Azam himself toured the length and breadth of India and tried to unite the Muslim community
under the banner of the Muslim League.

The Congress on the other hand stood for United India. To counter the Muslim League, the Congress
press abused the Quaid and termed his demand for Pakistan as the “vivisection of Mother India”,
“reactionary primitivism” and “religious barbarism”. Congress tried to brand Muslim League as an ultra-
conservative clique of knights, Khan Bahadurs, toadies and government pensioners. The Congress also
tried to get the support of all the provincial and central Muslim parties who had some differences with the
League, and backed them in the elections.

Elections for the Central Legislature were held in December 1945. Though the franchise was limited, the
turnover was extraordinary.

The Congress was able to sweep the polls for the non-Muslim seats. They managed to win more then 80
percent of the general seats and about 91.3 percent of the total general votes. The Leagues performance,
however, was even more impressive: it managed to win all the 30 seats reserved for the Muslims. The
results of the provincial election held in early 1946 were not different. Congress won most of the non-
Muslim seats while Muslim League captured approximately 95 percent of the Muslim seats.

In a bulletin issued on January 6, 1946, the Central Election Board of the Congress claimed that the
election results had vindicated the party as the biggest, strongest and the most representative
organization in the country. On the other hand, the League celebrated January 11, 1946, as the Day of
Victory and declared that the election results were enough to prove that Muslim League, under the
leadership of Quaid-i-Azam, was the sole representative of the Muslims of the region.

Delhi Convention(1946):

In April 1946 Quaid-i-Azam called the Convention of all those persons, who had been elected members of
the provincial and central legislatures on Muslim League ticket at Delhi. More than five hundred members
had attended that Convention.

Concentrating on the Pakistan problem and arguing for its establishment, Quaid-i-Azam made his speech
to forecast dire consequences for the Muslims of India under the Hindu majority government after the
British. Hussain Shaheed Suharwardy moved the main resolution, which demanded “a sovereign
independent state, comprising Bengal and Assam in the northeast zone and the Punjab, the N.W.F.P.,
Sindh and Baluchistan in the northwest zone”. It affirmed that “the Muslim nation will never submit to any
constitution for united India and will never participate in any single constitution-making machinery set up
for the purpose”.

Before the Convention concluded, each and every member of the Central and Provincial Assemblies
solemnly took the following oath:
“I do hereby solemnly declare my firm conviction that the safety and security, the salvation and destiny of
the Muslim nation inhabiting the Sub-continent of India lie only in the achievement of Pakistan, which is
the only equitable, honorable and just solution of the constitutional problem and which will bring peace,
freedom and prosperity to the various nationalities and communities of this great sub-continent. I most
solemnly affirm that I shall willingly and unflinchingly carry out all the directions & instructions, which may
be issued by the All-India Muslim League in pursuance of any movement that, may be launched by it for
the attainment of the cherished national goal of Pakistan. Believing as I do in the righteousness and the
justice of my cause, I pledge to undergo any danger, trial or sacrifice, which may be demanded of me”.

Cabinet Mission Plan(1946):

All of the British Government’s attempts to establish peace between the Congress and the Muslim
League had failed. The results of the general elections held in 1945-46 served to underline the
urgency to find a solution to the political deadlock, which was the result of non-cooperation between
the two major parties. To end this, the British government sent a special mission of cabinet
ministers to India.
The purpose of the mission was:

1 Preparatory discussions with elected representatives of British India and the Indian states in order
to secure agreement as to the method of framing the constitution.
2 Setting up of a constitution body.
3 Setting up an Executive Council with the support of the main Indian parties.
The mission arrived on March 24, 1946. After extensive discussions with Congress and the Muslim
League, the Cabinet Mission put forward its own proposals on May 16, 1946.

The main points of the plan were:

1. There would be a union of India comprising both British India and the Indian States that would
deal with foreign affairs, defense and communications. The union would have an Executive and a
Legislature.
2. All residuary powers would belong to the provinces.
3. All provinces would be divided into three sections. Provinces could opt out of any group after the
first general elections.
4. There would also be an interim government having the support of the major political parties.
The Muslim League accepted the plan on June 6 1946. Earlier, the Congress had accepted the plan on
May 24, 1946, though it rejected the interim setup.

The Viceroy should now have invited the Muslim League to form Government as it had accepted the
interim setup; but he did not do so.

Meanwhile Jawaharlal Nehru, addressing a press conference on July 10, said that the Congress had
agreed to join the constituent assembly, but saying it would be free to make changes in the Cabinet
Mission Plan.

Under these circumstances, the Muslim League disassociated itself from the Cabinet Plan and resorted to
“Direct Action” to achieve Pakistan. As a result, Viceroy Wavell invited the Congress to join the interim
government, although it had practically rejected the plan.
However, the Viceroy soon realized the futility of the scheme without the participation of the League.
Therefore, on October 14, 1946, he extended an invitation to them as well.

Jinnah nominated Liaquat Ali Khan, I. I. Chundrigar, Sardar

Abdur Rab Nishtar, Ghazanfar Ali Khan and Jogandra Nath Mandal to the cabinet.

Congress allocated the Finance Ministry to the League. This in effect placed the whole governmental
setup under the Muslim League. As Minister of Finance, the budget Liaquat Ali Khan presented was
called a “poor man’s budget” as it adversely affected the Hindu capitalists.

The deadlock between the Congress and the League further worsened in this setup.

On March 22, 1947, Lord Mountbatten arrived as the last Viceroy. It was announced that power would be
transferred from British to Indian hands by June 1948.

Lord Mountbatten entered into a series of talks with the Congress and the Muslim League leaders. Quaid-
i-Azam made it clear that the demand for Pakistan had the support of all the Muslims of India and that he
could not withdraw from it. With staunch extremists as Patel agreeing to the Muslim demand for a
separate homeland, Mountbatten now prepared for the partition of the Sub-continent and announced it on
June 3, 1947
Action Committee
April 24-26

League Session at Delhi

The thirtieth Session of the All-India Muslim League was held at Delhi on 24-26 April, 1943, under the
chairmanship of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. At the end of his presidential address he said that
the time had come to take up the constructive program to build up the nation so that it could march on the
path of its goal of Pakistan.

December 24-26

League Session at Karachi

The thirty-first Session of the All-India Muslim League was held at Karachi under the chairmanship of
Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. In his presidential address the Quaid said that the Muslims of India
had amply proved not only to India but to the whole world that they were a nation. The Quaid-i-Azam
expressed his determination that he will not rest unless he gets the territory that belongs to the Muslim
nation .He advised the Indian Muslims to resist any constitutional scheme which stood for a united India

December 27

Committee of Action

A Committee of Action was formed with the

Following composition:

Mr. Mohammad Ismail Khan (Chairman)

Mr. G.M. Syed

Haji Sattar Essak

Mr. Iftikhar Hussain Khan

Qazi Mohammad Isa and

Mr. Liaquat _Ali Khan (Convener)

It aimed to prepare and organize the Muslims all over India to meet all contingencies and resist the
imposition of an all-India federation or any other constitution for one united India and prepare the Muslims
for the coming struggle for the achievement of Pakistan.
JINNAH –GANDHI TALKS (1944)
The Gandhi-Jinnah Talks have eminent significance with regard to the political problems of India and the
Pakistan Movement. The talks between the two great leaders of the Sub-continent began in response to
the general public’s desire for a settlement of Hindu-Muslim differences.

On July 17, 1944, Gandhi wrote a letter to Quaid-i-Azam in which he expressed his desire to meet him.
Quaid-i-Azam asked the Muslim League for permission for this meeting. The League readily acquiesced.

The Gandhi-Jinnah talks began in Bombay on September 19, 1944, and lasted till the 24th of the month.
The talks were held directly and via correspondence. Gandhi told Quaid-i-Azam that he had come in his
personal capacity and was representing neither the Hindus nor the Congress.

Gandhi’s real purpose behind these talks was to extract from Jinnah an admission that the whole
proposition of Pakistan was absurd.

Quaid-i-Azam painstakingly explained the basis of the demand of Pakistan. “We maintain”, he wrote to
Gandhi, “that Muslims and Hindus are two major nations by any definition or test of a nation. We are a
nation of a 100 million. We have our distinctive outlook on life and of life. By all the cannons of
international law, we are a nation”. He added that he was “convinced that the true welfare not only of the
Muslims but of the rest of India lies in the division of India as proposed in the Lahore Resolution”.

Gandhi on the other hand maintained that India was one nation and saw in the Pakistan Resolution
“Nothing but ruin for the whole of India”. “If, however, Pakistan had to be conceded, the areas in which
the Muslims are in an absolute majority should be demarcated by a commission approved by both the
Congress and the Muslim League. The wishes of the people of these areas will be obtained through
referendum. These areas shall form a separate state as soon as possible after India is free from foreign
domination. There shall be a treaty of separation which should also provide for the efficient and
satisfactory administration of foreign affairs, defense, internal communication, custom and the like which
must necessarily continue to be the matters of common interest between the contracting countries”.

This meant, in effect, that power over the whole of India should first be transferred to Congress, which
thereafter would allow Muslim majority areas that voted for separation to be constituted, not as
independent sovereign state but as part of an Indian federation.

Gandhi contended that his offer gave the substance of the Lahore Resolution. Quaid-i-Azam did not
agree to the proposal and the talks ended.

WAVELL’S PLAN(1945)

In October 1943 the British Government decided to replace Lord Linlithgow with Lord Wavell as the
Viceroy of India. Before assuming the charge, Wavell worked as the Chief of Indian army and thus had
quit an understanding of the Indian situation. Right after assuming charge as Viceroy, Wavell’s most
important task was to present a formula for the solution of the Indian problem which was acceptable for
both the Congress and the Muslim League. After doing his basic homework, in May 1945 he visited
London and discussed his suggestions with the British Government. The London talks resulted in the
formulation of a definite plan of action which was officially made public simultaneously on June 14, 1945
by L.S. Amery, the Secretary of State for India in the House of Commons and by Wavell in a broadcast
speech delivered from Delhi. The plan, commonly known as Wavell Plan.
Wavell Plan presented the following proposals:

1. If all the Indian political parties would help the British in the war then the British Government
would introduce Constitutional Reforms in India after the war.
2. Viceroy’s Executive Council would be immediately reconstituted and the number of its members
would be increased.
3. In that Council there would be equal representation of high class Hindus and the Muslims.
4. Other minorities including low-caste Hindus, Shudders and Sikhs would be given representation
in the Council.
5. All the members of the Council, except the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief would be
Indians.
6. An Indian would be appointed as the member of Foreign Affairs in the Council. However, a British
Commissioner would be appointed to look after the matters relating to the trade.
7. Defence of India was to be in the hands of a British authority till Power was transferred to the
Indian hands
8. Viceroy would convene a meeting of the Indian politician including the leaders of Congress and
the Muslim League so that they could nominate the names of the members of the new Council.
9. If this plan is approved for the Central Government then same type of popular ministries
comprising of the political leaders would be formed in all the provinces.
10. None of the changes suggested will in any way prejudice or prejudge the essential form of the
future permanent Constitution of India

In order to discuss the proposal with the Indian leaders, Wavell summoned a conference in Simla on June
25, 1945.

Direct Action Day(1946)

Direct Action Day, also known as the Great Calcutta Killings, was a day of widespread communal rioting
between Muslims and Hindus in the city of Calcutta (now known as Kolkata) in the Bengal province
of British India. The day also marked the start of what is known as The Week of the Long Knives.
The 'Direct Action' was announced by the Muslim League Council to show the strength of Muslim feelings
towards its demand for an "autonomous and sovereign" Pakistan. The Action resulted in the worst
communal riots that British India had seen.
The Muslim League and the Indian National Congress were the two largest political parties in
the Constituent Assembly of India in the 1940s. The Muslim League had demanded, since its
1940 Lahore Resolution, that the Muslim-majority areas of India in the northwest and the east, should be
constituted as 'independent states'. The 1946 Cabinet Mission to India for planning of the transfer of
power from the British Raj to the Indian leadership proposed a three-tier structure: a centre, groups of
provinces, and provinces. The "groups of provinces" were meant to accommodate the Muslim League
demand. Both the Muslim League and Congress in principle accepted the Cabinet Mission's plan.
However, Muslim League suspected that Congress's acceptance was insincere.
Consequently, in July 1946, it withdrew its agreement to the plan and announced a general strike on 16
August, terming it as Direct Action Day, to assert its demand for a separate Muslim homeland.
Against a backdrop of communal tension, the protest triggered massive riots in Calcutta. More than 4,000
people lost their lives and 100,000 residents were left homeless in Calcutta within 72 hours. This violence
sparked off further religious riots in the surrounding regions of Noakhali, Bihar, United Provinces (modern
Uttar Pradesh), Punjab, and the North Western Frontier Province. These events sowed the seeds for the
eventual Partition of India.
Interim Government(1946)
On 2nd September 1946 the Interim Government of India was formed. This temporary government was
formed from the Constituent Assembly of India (which was then newly elected).

This government was entrusted the task of helping the transition of India and Pakistan from British rule to
Independence as two separate nations. The Interim Government was in place till 15th August 1947, when
the nations of Indian and Pakistan received Independence from colonial rule.
As the World War II ended, all political prisoners in India who had taken part in the Quit India Movement
were released by the British. The Indian National Congress, India’s largest political party and a party
which had taken part in the freedom movement decided to participate in the elections for a Constituent
Assembly. Even the Muslim League decided to take part. The Constituent Assembly elections were not
regarded as direct elections. The members of the Assembly were elected from each of the provincial
legislative assemblies. Owing to this, the Indian National Congress won most of the seats, including seats
in areas with a Hindu majority. The Muslim League on the other hand won seats in areas where there
was a Muslim majority.
Congress-dominated Interim Government headed by Nehru was established. The Muslim League refused
to accept the proposal in the beginning and did not nominate its members on 5 reserved seats. Muslim
League, afterwards, thought that Congress, being in power could harm the Muslim interests so it joined
the Cabinet after two months on 26th October 1946. However, the basic attention of both the parties was
to save their interests in the interim government.
Muslim League part of the Interim Government as well, the Department of Finance was headed by
Liaquat Ali Khan. The Departments of Posts and Air as headed by Abdur Rab Nishtar and the
Department of Commerce was headed by Ibrahim Ishmail Chundrigar, the Department of Law was
headed by a Scheduled Caste Hindu politician Jogendra Nath Mandal.

Poor’s Man Budget(1947)

When Muslim League joined the Interim Government, differences arouse between the two major
parties over the issue of the distribution of portfolios. Muslim League wanted one of the three
important ministries, i.e. External Affairs, Home or Defence, but Congress was not ready to give
any of them to the League. Nehru considered himself as the best possible choice for the
External Affairs, while Patel thought it was better for him to remain outside the cabinet, if he was
not made in charge of the Home department. When pressure was put on the Congress to give
something of a significant importance to the Muslim League, on the advice of Rafi Ahmad
Kidwai, a Muslim Congress member, they offered Muslim League the Finance ministry. They
were sure that since the League had no finance expert in their leadership, they would either
decline the offer or would badly fail in running the ministry. To their surprise Muslim League
accepted the challenge and nominated Liaquat Ali Khan as the Finance Minister. Knowing the
importance of the ministry Liaquat started putting financial checks on all the ministries run by the
Congress members. They could not even hire a peon without the prior consent of Liaqat. The
greatest contribution of Liaquat as Finance Minister, however, was the budget he presented on
February 28, 1947. This was the first time when an Indian presented the budget of his country
and that also proved to be the last budget of British India. The budget, which was prepared with
the help of financial experts like Malik Ghulam Muhammad, Chaudhari Muhammad Ali and
Zahid Hussain etc. was a poor’s friendly budget and is known in the history as Poor Man’s
Budget. While presented the budget in the Central Assembly Liaquat declared, “It will be my
particular endeavour to reduce, to the maximum extent possible, the glaring disparities that exist
today between the income and standards of life of the wealthy classes and the vast multitude of
poverty-stricken masses and to contribute to the best of my ability to the improvement of the lot
of the common man.” He further stated, “I do believe in the Quranic injuctions that wealth should
not be allowed to circulate among the wealthy and the stern warning given against accumulation
of wealth in the hands of individuals”.

Following were some of the main features of the Poor Man’s Budget:

Salt Tax was completely abolished for the first time.

Minimum exemption limit for income tax was raised from Rs. 2000/- to Rs. 2500/-
Special income tax of 25% was introduced on the businessmen whose annual profit was more
than Rs. 100000/-
A graduated tax was introduced on the capital gains exceeding Rs. 5000/-
A commission was proposed to look in to the accounts of those who accumulated wealth during
the Second World War and to introduce heavy taxes on them.
By presenting the Poor Man’s budget, Liaquat was able to kill two birds with one stone. On one
hand the budget was hailed in the local press and was appreciated by the common people. The
popularity of Muslim League further enhanced and it was proved, i.e. if the proof was still
required, that Muslim League was competent enough to run the affairs of an independent state.
On the other the hand the capitalist, most of whom were the pro-Congress Hindu industrialists
and businessmen, termed it as “Millionaire’s howls” and decided to stop the funding of the
Indian National Congress. The budget presented by Liaquat compelled the Congress leaders to
accept that giving Finance ministry to the Muslim League was a blunder on their part.

Atlee’s Statement(1947)
The Prime Minister of Britain Clement Atlee declared on February 20, 1947 in the House of Commons
that the British would quit India after transferring power into the responsible hand not later than June
1948. The idea was that the Indians should settle their issues before that. He also announced the
appointment of Lord Mountabatten as Viceroy in place of Lord Wavell.

The statement was:

1. The British Government would grant full self-government to British India by 30 June 1948 at the
latest.
2. The future of the Princely States would be decided after the date of final transfer is decided.
Reactions:

1. Statement was at first unbelievable, in the context of the previous betrayals by the British leaders.

2. But soon it became clear that Attlee’s pronouncement was meant to undo what had been done by
Clive, Wellesley, Dalhousie, Curzon and Churchill.
3. On March 6, 1947, Attlee said in the House of Commons: “The national feeling runs right through all
the Indian class and that is why you cannot carry on against the will of the people.”

3rd june plan(1947)

The British government finally decided to divide the country into two separates states after all the efforts
of keeping Hindus and Muslims together in a single state went in vain. Lord Ismay, the Chief of Staff of
Lord Mountbatten, was asked to frame the partition plan of India. Though the plan was deliberately kept
secret from the Indians yet Nehru grabbed the chance of seeing the plan before it was put before the
Indians. The British Government approved the Plan and sent it to India in May 1947.

The plan announced on 3 June 1947 suggested these points:

1. The British Government would divide India into two separate states.
2. Dominion status would be given to the successor governments of the two states.
3. A Boundary Commission would be appointed to demarcate the boundaries if any of the communal
group decides in favor of dividing the province of Punjab and Bengal.
4. The Sindh Legislative Assembly would be authorized to opt out whether it desires to join the current
Constituent Assembly or the New Constituent Assembly.
5. A Referendum would be conducted in the North West Frontier Province to know the public opinion on
the question of joining the new state of Pakistan. The Electoral College for the Referendum would be
the same as it was for in 1946.
6. Baluchistan would be granted freedom of choice.
7. A referendum would be conducted in Sylhet to take the decision whether it wants to join East Bengal
or stay as a part of Asam.
3rd June Plan materialized the dream of Iqbal of a separate state for the Muslim of the Sub-Continent and
bestowed them with Muslim state of Pakistan on August 14, 1947. The Muslim League, therefore, hailed
the Plan.
According to the Plan, the British Government transferred the Power to the governments of the two New
States of Pakistan and India.

Indian Independence Act(1947)

India Independence Act 1947 was an Act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom (UK) that
divided the British India into two new independent dominions of India and Pakistan. The Act received the
assent of the royal family on July 18, 1947 after which, India came into existence on August 15 and
Pakistan on August 14 in the year 1947.

Salient features

1. Emergence of two new dominions from the Indian Empire-The two new dominions, India and
Pakistan came into existence after the formulation of this Act. Dominion of India will represent the
 desire of the all people in India for self-government, while the Dominion of Pakistan would express
the demand of the Muslims for the self-government.
2. Appointed date: The appointed date for the partition is 15 August 1947.
3. Territories:
Pakistan-East Bengal, West Punjab, Sind, Northwest Frontier Provinces, Sylhet divisions in Assam,
Bahawalpur, Khairpur, Chief Commissioner’s Province of Baluchistan and its eight other princely
states
Bengal-The province of Bengal ceased to exist. Two new provinces came into existence-East Bengal
and West Bengal.
Punjab: Two new provinces came into being-West Punjab and East Punjab
4. Boundaries of new provinces would be determined by a committee headed by Sir Cyril Radcliffe.
5. Constitution of India and Pakistan: The Government of India Act 1935 governed the two dominions
until the new constitutions were framed for both the countries.
6. Governor-General of India and Pakistan: For each of the countries, a separate Governor-General was
required to be appointed by the Crown subject to the laws of the legislature of either of the new
dominions.
7. The Act also provided critical directions on the armed forces of India as well as the steps to be taken
in regards to British forces in India. Naval forces were also a critical area that was dealt with by this
Act.
The Act also created the legislatures of both the new countries formed. It also stated that the British
would cease to have any control at all in any affairs of India and Pakistan from August 15, 1947
onwards.

Transfer of power(1947)
Independence Day ), observed annually on 14 August, is a national holiday in Pakistan. It commemorates
the day when Pakistan achieved independence and was declared a sovereign nation following the end of
the British Raj in 1947. Pakistan came into existence as a result of the Pakistan Movement, which aimed for
the creation of an independent Muslim state in the north-western regions of South Asia via partition. The
movement was led by the All-India Muslim League under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The
event was brought forth by the Indian Independence Act 1947 under which the British Raj gave
independence to the Dominion of Pakistan which comprised West Pakistan (present-day Pakistan) and East
Pakistan (now Bangladesh). In the Islamic calendar, the day of independence coincided with Ramadan 27,
the eve of which, being Laylat al-Qadr, is regarded as sacred by Muslims.
The main Independence Day ceremony takes place in Islamabad, where the national flag is hoisted at
the Presidential and Parliament buildings. It is followed by the national anthem and live televised speeches by
leaders. Usual celebratory events and festivities for the day include flag-raising ceremonies, parades,
cultural events, and the playing of patriotic songs. A number of award ceremonies are often held on this
day, and Pakistanis hoist the national flag atop their homes or display it prominently on their vehicles and
attire.