1947 in Pakistan
Encyclopedia
August
- Jinnah and his sister arrive on August 7, at the Mauripur Airport from New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. - Muslim member of Partition Committee, Chaudhri Muhammad Ali comes to KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
on August 9, for a one-day visit for Jinnah's approval on Patel's proposal for debt settlement. Liaquat Ali KhanLiaquat Ali KhanFor other people with the same or similar name, see Liaqat Ali Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani statesman who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Defence minister and Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs...
asks Ali to convey to Lord Ismay in Delhi that Jinnah has received disturbing reports about the likely decision on the Punjab boundary Award. - August 9, Muslim member of Partition Committee, Chaudhri Muhammad Ali comes to Karachi on a one-day visit for Jinnah's approval on Patel's proposal for debt settlement. Liaquat Ali Khan asks Ali to convey to Lord Ismay in Delhi that Jinnah has received disturbing reports about the likely decision on the Punjab boundary.
- August 10, Cry treason! A Muslim member of the Partition Committee, Chaudhri Muhammad Ali, has found disturbing evidence about tampering of the decision about the East PunjabEast PunjabEast Punjab was the part of the Punjab region that went to India following the Partition of the Punjab Province of British India between India and Pakistan in 1947...
boundary. Today, when he arrived to seek an interview with Lord Ismay to convey him the message from Jinnah, he was told that Ismay was closeted with Sir Cyril Radcliffe, Chairman Boundary Commission. When Chaudhri saw him at last, Ismay professed complete ignorance of any knowledge of the proposed Punjab boundary, while at the same time Chaudhri discovered a pencil line on the map in Ismay's room very smiliar to the boundary that had been reported to Jinnah. "Ismay turned pale," says Chaudhri Muhammad Ali, "and asked in confusion who had been fooling with his map." - Constituent Assembly of Pakistan resolves that Muhammad Ali JinnahMuhammad Ali JinnahMuhammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan. He is popularly and officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam and Baba-e-Qaum ....
should be addressed as "Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Governor-General of PakistanGovernor-General of PakistanThe Governor-General of Pakistan was the representative in Pakistan of the Crown from the country's independence in 1947. When Pakistan was proclaimed a republic in 1956 the connection with the British monarchy ended, and the office of Governor-General was abolished.-History:Pakistan gained...
" in all official documentation from August 15, 1947 and onwards. - Radcliffe signs his reports for the British PunjabPunjab (British India)Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
and BengalBengalBengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
provinces of India, forming the Award. Ferozepur, Zira, Gurdaspur and many other areas of Muslim majority in East PunjabEast PunjabEast Punjab was the part of the Punjab region that went to India following the Partition of the Punjab Province of British India between India and Pakistan in 1947...
form parts of the Union of India, as does the city of Calcutta. Report is withheld until after the Independence.
Jinnah announces spiritual freedom for Pakistan
Monday 11, Addressing the Constituent Assembly 4 days before the birth of Pakistan, Mr. Jinnah has declared: "You may belong to any religion or caste or creed - that has nothing to do with the business of the State... Now, I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in course of time, Hindus will cease to be Hindus, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State."
August 12, Radcliffe signs his reports for the Punab and Bengal, forming the Award. Ferozepur, Zira, Gurdaspur and many other areas of Muslim majority in East Punjab form parts of India, as does the city of Calcutta. Report is withheld until after the Independence.
- Radcliffe signs his reports for SylhetSylhetSylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
district of AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. - Attacks on trains by Sikhs in East PunjabEast PunjabEast Punjab was the part of the Punjab region that went to India following the Partition of the Punjab Province of British India between India and Pakistan in 1947...
forces the Provisional Government of Pakistan to postpone the transfer of records from New Delhi to Karachi until the situation comes to normal. - Lord Mountbatten delivers the King's message to the People of Pakistan, who are to achieve independence at midnight tonight. The date corresponds with Ramzan 26, 1366 Hijrah. The day is Thursday. PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
gained its independence on August 14, 1947. Exactly on 23:30 (pm) the day before Friday. - Mohammed Ali Jinnah became the first Governor-General of PakistanGovernor-General of PakistanThe Governor-General of Pakistan was the representative in Pakistan of the Crown from the country's independence in 1947. When Pakistan was proclaimed a republic in 1956 the connection with the British monarchy ended, and the office of Governor-General was abolished.-History:Pakistan gained...
and the Supreme Leader of the unified nation-stateNation-stateThe nation state is a state that self-identifies as deriving its political legitimacy from serving as a sovereign entity for a nation as a sovereign territorial unit. The state is a political and geopolitical entity; the nation is a cultural and/or ethnic entity...
of Pakistan on August, 1947. - Liaquat Ali KhanLiaquat Ali KhanFor other people with the same or similar name, see Liaqat Ali Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani statesman who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Defence minister and Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs...
becomes the first Prime Minister of PakistanPrime Minister of PakistanThe Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
and Leader of the Pakistani Community also called Quaid-I-Millat (Leader of the Nation) on August, 1947. - Nearly 10 million people migrate to PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. MuslimMuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s to PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
while HinduHinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and SikhSikhA Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s to IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - August 14, Attacks on trains by Sikhs in East Punjab forces the Government of Pakistan to postpone the transfer of records from New Delhi to Karachi until the situation comes to normal.
- August 15, Amritsar. In the afternoon, a Sikh mob paraded a number of Muslim women naked through the streets of Amritsar, raped them and then hacked some of them to pieces with kirpans and burned the others alive.
- August 16, Liaquat Ali Khan, travels to Delhi, this was officially the first state visit from independent Pakistan to discuss the grim situation in Punjab, and Chaudhri Muhammad Ali are handed Radcliffe's reports by Mountbatten in the afternoon.
- August 17, Radcliffe Awards announced as Muslims suspect foul play as the Radcliff Award gives away strategically important Muslim regions such as Pathankot and Ferozepur to India without any apparent justification. Unprecedented massacres start in Eastern Punjab, and more are likely to follow in other areas.
- August 18, Pakistan celebrates its first Eid-ul-Fitr as a nation. While regretting the fate befallen on those "brethren and sisters" who fell victim to Communal violenceCommunal violenceCommunal violence refers to a situation where violence is perpetrated across ethnic lines, and victims are chosen based upon ethnic group membership...
, Jinnah also wishes in his official statement "a very happy Eid to all Muslims wherever they may be in throughout the World - the Eid will usher in, I hope, a new era of prosperity and will mark the onward march of renaissance of Islamic culture and ideals." On the same day the Radcliffe LineRadcliffe LineThe Radcliffe Line was announced on 17 August 1947 as a boundary demarcation line between India and Pakistan upon the Partition of India. The Radcliffe Line was named after its architect, Sir Cyril Radcliffe, who as chair of the Border Commissions was tasked with equitably dividing of territory...
is announced marking the present disputed India-Pakistan Border with Muslims claims on Ferozepur district and PathankotPathankotPathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
TehsilTehsilA Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
. - August 18, The NawabNawabA Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
of Mohammad Mahabat Khanji IIIMuhammad Mahabat Khanji IIIMuhammad Mahabat Khanji III Rasul Khanji was the last ruling Nawab of the princely state of Junagadh in British India from 1911 to 1947...
, ruler of the Princely statePrincely stateA Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of JunagadhJunagadhJunagadh is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city is the 7th largest in Gujarat. The city is located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 km south west of state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. The city is in western India. Literally translated,...
, a former BritishBritish EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
ProtectorateProtectorateIn history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
since 1807 and the other small states of BantvaBantvaBantva, Bantwa is a small town in Kathiawar, a former district of the state of Gujarat in India.-Geography:Bantva is located at 21° 28' 60N and 70° 4' 60E, at an altitude of 20 meters. Nearby towns are Nanadiya, Limbuda, Manavadar, Vanthali, Junagadh, Keshod, Visavadar, Kutiyana, Dhoraji,...
, ManavadarBantva ManavadarBantva-Manavadar was a princely state founded in 1760 on the Kathiawar peninsula in Gujarat, India. It had an area of approximately 574 km², and contained 26 primarily Muslim villages...
and SardargadhSardargarh BantvaSardargardh Bantva was a princely state founded in 1760 on the Kathiawar peninsula in Gujarat, India. It had an area of approximately 186 km², and contained 13 primarily Muslim villages. Upon independence in 1947, the princely states were forced to join either India or Pakistan...
, were also former BritishBritish EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
ProtectorateProtectorateIn history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
s since 18181818 in IndiaEvents in the year 1818 in India.-Dates:* 1 January The Peshwa defeated at Koregaon by the British.* 6 January Treaty of Mandasor is signed between the British and the Marathas.* 20 February The Peshwa defeated at Ashti by the British....
of the Kathiawar Peninsula despite an overall HinduHinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
majority of the population all acceded to the Dominion of PakistanDominion of PakistanThe Dominion of Pakistan was an independent federal Commonwealth realm in South Asia that was established in 1947 on the partition of British India into two sovereign dominions . The Dominion of Pakistan, which included modern-day Pakistan and Bangladesh, was intended to be a homeland for the...
, this was influenced by Shah Nawaz BhuttoShah Nawaz BhuttoSir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, CIE, OBE, OBI was a politician hailing from Larkana in Sindh province of British India, which is now part of Pakistan.-Early life:Bhutto, the son of Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto, was born into Arain family of Sindh...
the DewanDewanThe originally Persian title of dewan has, at various points in Islamic history, designated various differing though similar functions.-Etymology:...
of the state. In response the Dominion of IndiaDominion of IndiaThe Dominion of India, also known as the Union of India or the Indian Union , was a predecessor to modern-day India and an independent state that existed between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950...
claimed that the accession was invalid, since the states were surrounded by IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and demanded a Plebiscite on the future of JunagadhJunagadhJunagadh is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city is the 7th largest in Gujarat. The city is located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 km south west of state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. The city is in western India. Literally translated,...
and Manavadar (princely state)Bantva ManavadarBantva-Manavadar was a princely state founded in 1760 on the Kathiawar peninsula in Gujarat, India. It had an area of approximately 574 km², and contained 26 primarily Muslim villages...
. Pakistan agreed, on condition that votes also be held in Hyderabad StateHyderabad State-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
and Kashmir and JammuKashmir and JammuJammu and Kashmir was, from 1846 until 1947, a princely state in the British Empire in India, and was ruled by a Maharaja. The state was created in 1846 when, after its victory in the First Anglo-Sikh War, the East India Company annexed the Kashmir valley and immediately sold it to the Dogra ruler...
; India rejected this proposal and also refused to allow the Government of PakistanGovernment of PakistanThe Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
any role in administering a plebiscite. The dispute was the first serious crisis in Indo-Pakistani relationsIndo-Pakistani relationsRelations between India and Pakistan have been strained by a number of historical and political issues, and are defined by the violent partition of British India in 1947, the Kashmir dispute and the numerous military conflicts fought between the two nations... - August 19/20, Communal riots in QuettaQuettais the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
- August 21, Transfer of personnel and records from New Delhi to KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
is now completely stalled indefinitely after disturbances occurred on the B.B. & C.I. line running through Marwar to Hyderabad. In all, 11500 passengers have been transferred to Karachi, the new capital, from New Delhi. - August 21, Jinnah calls upon the people of Pakistan not to retaliate unlwafully to the violence in East Punjab: "Pakistan should be kept absolutely free from disorder."
- August 22, Governor Cunningham in North-West Frontier ProvinceNorth-West Frontier ProvinceKhyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
has dismissed the Chief Minister Dr. Khan Sahib and his cabinet as they refused to salute the Pakistan Flag. Abdul Qayyum Khan is likely to be the next Chief Minister. - August 24, Jinnah calls upon the people of Pakistan not to retaliate unlwafully to the violence in East Punjab: "Pakistan should be kept absolutely free from disorder."
- August 25, Jinnah is presented Civic Address by the Karachi Corporation. In his reply he mentions that "Karachi has the distinction of being the only town of importance where, during these times of communal disturbances, people have kept their heads cool and lived amicably, and I hope we shall continue to do so."
- August 27, The Governor-General of PakistanGovernor-General of PakistanThe Governor-General of Pakistan was the representative in Pakistan of the Crown from the country's independence in 1947. When Pakistan was proclaimed a republic in 1956 the connection with the British monarchy ended, and the office of Governor-General was abolished.-History:Pakistan gained...
has declared a state of emergency under Section 102 of the adapted Government of India Act, 1935: "Whereas the economic life of Pakistan is threatened by circumstances arising out of the mass movement of population from and into Pakistan, a State of Emergency is hereby declared." - August 28, Refugees: According to a decision of the Central Government of Pakistan, Sindh must absorb 200,000 of the refugees waiting in the West Punjab's camps. Other provinces must join in: NWFP, 100,000; Bahawalpur, Khairpur, and the Baluchistan Agency 100,000; and West Punjab a 100,000 more.
- August 28/29, A meeting of the Joint Defense Council, attended by Jinnah and Mountbatten. It is decided that the Punjab Boundary Force should be disbanded from September 1, and both sides should assume responsibility for law and order in its own territory. Pakistan sets up the military Evacuee Organization in Lahore. India is expected to set up a similar organization. It is also decided that each DominionDominionA dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
should appoint a custodian of evacuee property and both custodians should work in close liaisons.
What cost freedom?
Many have lost their homes, witnessed brutal slaughters of their dear ones and ravishing of their nearest women. Just some of them are lucky enough to have still made it to Pakistan from the areas torn with communal riots - mostly East Punjab, but generally the whole of the sub-continent.Who is to blame? Some mention the last viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, whose role is becoming somewhat more shady as more of his plans about the division of Punjab and Bengal are materializing. Speaking to 2 Indian journalists in New Delhi on the 27th, he admitted that he was aware of the Sikh plans for ethnic cleansing of the East Punjab long before the partition. He had tried to argue with them, he says, but they were adamant, and the situation is now "out of anybody's control."
Will the refugees ever be able to rehabilitate, in whatever manner? This is one of the biggest questions facing the newborn state.
The government
Friday 15. His Majesty, George VI, is technically the constitutional monarch of both the new dominions, India and Pakistan, which will be equal members of the Commonwealth of NationsCommonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
. The Indian Independence Bill, which created the two dominions, empowers the Constituent Assemblies of the dominions to make all legislation, including a decision to leave the Commonwealth or declare republics. Mr. Jinnah, working more out of pragmatism than sentiments, has requested many competent Britishers to stay: 3 out of the 4 governors are white. They are: Sir Frederick Bourne (Governor, East Bengal), Sir Francis Mudie (Governor, West Punjab), and Sir George Cunningham (Governor, N.W.F.P.). Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah (Governor, Sindh) is the only native governor, while Baluchistan does not have a governor as it is a Governor-General's province. All chiefs of the armed forces are white too: General Sir Frank Messervey (Royal Pakistan Army), Air Vice-Marshal Perry-Keane (Royal Pakistan Air Force), and Admiral Jefford (Royal Pakistan Navy). The financial advisor to the Governor-General, Sir Archibald Rowland, is also a British.
The first cabinet of Pakistan, sworn in today, includes: Liaquat Ali Khan (Prime Minister, also in charge of two ministries: Foreign Affairs & Commonwealth Relations, and Defense); I. I. Chundrigar (Commerce, Industries, and Works); Ghulam Mohammad (Finance); Abdur Rab Nishtar (Communications); Ghazanfar Ali Khan (Food, Agriculture, and Health); Jogendra Nath Mandal (Law and Labour); Fazlur Rahman (Interior, Information, and Education).
The chief ministers
Khawaja Nazimuddin has been elected the Chief Minister of East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
provincial region within United Pakistan by the provincial assembly (Suhrawardy, who was the Chief Minister, has gone to India on Gandhi's invitation to work for communal harmony). The Khan of Mamdot has been elected the Chief Minister of West Punjab
West Punjab
West Punjab was a province of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955. The province covered an area of 160,622 km², including much of the current Punjab province and the Islamabad Capital Territory, but excluding the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The capital was the city of Lahore and the province...
, while the NWFP still has the ministry of Dr. Khan Sahib in place. Sind already had a Muslim League ministry, and Mohammad Ayub Khuhro remains the Chief Minister.
A question of accession
Friday 15. The nawab of Bahawalpur has assumed the title Jalalatul Mulk Ala Hazrat Amir of Bahawalpur. Although he has agreed to send his representative to the Constituent Assembly of PakistanConstituent Assembly of Pakistan
The Constituent Assembly of Pakistan was formed to write Pakistan's constitution, and serve as its first parliament. It first convened on 11 August 1947, before the end of British rule on August 15, 1947. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the first President of this Assembly until his death on...
, it is rumoured that he and his chief minister Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani are inclined towards stalling the issue of accession to Pakistan. Bahawalpur happens to be the largest of the ten Muslim majority states that are contiguous to Pakistan. The others are: Khairpur, Kalat, Las Bela, Kharan, Mekran, and the four frontier states of Dir, Swat, Amb, and Chitral. On the other hand, all (except two) of the 500 odd Hindu majority states as well as the Muslim majority state Kapurthala have acceded to India.
Radio stations
The radio stations of the newly born state are located at Peshawar, Lahore, Dahaka but none in the federal capital Karachi. Out of these, Peshawar station boasts a broadcasting transmitter assembled and donated by the inventor Marconi himself.Economy
Pakistan does not have a single ordinance factory and the remark can almost be stretched to include major installations of every sort. Although Pakistan has inherited 20 per cent of the subcontinent's population, her share in industry is less than 7 per cent, consisting mostly of small-scale and minor industrial units: the 34 factories do not total up to a daily employment of more than 26, 400 persons. The East wing produces 70 per cent of the world's jute, but there is not a single jute mill and the West Bengal (now in India) is almost the sole buyer. In the West wing, only 16000 of the total 1500000 cotton bales produced can be processed domestically. The new state does not have its own bank and depends on the reserve bank of India.Ambivalence
As they celebrate the newly-won freedom of their land, some Pakistanis voice mixed feelings, basically due to the bloodshed caused by the communal riots but perhaps also because in the absence of some radical measures taken to liberate the common people, the future appears destined to carry over certain shades of the colonial past. The young Faiz Ahmad Faiz, perhaps the most promising Pakistani progressive poet, represents their feelings.September
- 1, Punjab Boundary Force abolished.
Nehru, Liaquat visit affected areas:
- Wednesday 3, In a conference held at Lahore by the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his Pakistani counterpart Liaquat Ali Khan, the two premiers have reiterated "the determination of the two Central and the two Provincial Governments that law and order should be immediately established and all lawlessness suppressed and punished." It is also stated that "illegal seizure of property will not be recognized and both Governments will take steps to look after the property of refugees and restore it to its rightful owners."
Over the last few days they have carried out a joint tour of the affected areas in the now divided province of Punjab: Amritsar, Batala, Hoshiarpur, Lahore, and Shiekhupura. Most touching scenes were witnessed in the refugee camps where thousands of people from both sides are awaiting either exodus or rehabilitation. In a caravan along the road through Sheikhupura in Pakistan, an old peasant said: "This country has seen many changes of rulers. They have come and gone. But this is the first time that with a change of rulers the riyaya (subjects) is also being forced to change." An elderly Hindu woman said to Mr. Nehru, "Partitions take place in all families. Property changes hands, but it is all arranged peacefully. Why this butchery, loot and abductions? Could you not do it the sensible way families divide?"
- 4, Massive anti-Muslim riots erupt in Delhi, initiated by the extremist Sikhs and RSSS. 26 BOAC aircrafts placed at the disposal of the Pakistan Government have started carrying the Pakistani employees from Delhi to Karachi. In all 7000 passengers may be expected to reach the new capital. The most hazardous part of the journey is reaching the airport - hostile Hindu mobs in the streets of Delhi attack passengers unless the army guards them.
Junagadh: Identity Crisis?
- Friday 5, Governor-General Quaid-i-Azam has accepted the accession of Junagadh and Manavadar, small maritime states 300 miles south of Karachi. The total population of Junagadh is 700,000, most of whom is Hindu, and the state is surrounded on all sides by the Indian Territory. However, the ruler is a Muslim, hence the accession to Pakistan.
The Indian government has been informed of the decision of the Pakistan government to accept the accession, and the reaction is not favorable, as might have been accepted. "Such acceptance… cannot but be regarded by Government of India an encroachment on India's sovereignty and territory and inconsistent with friendly relations that should exits between the two Dominions," Mountbatten has written in his telegram to Jinnah.
- 9, West PunjabWest PunjabWest Punjab was a province of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955. The province covered an area of 160,622 km², including much of the current Punjab province and the Islamabad Capital Territory, but excluding the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The capital was the city of Lahore and the province...
provincial government appoints a custodian of evacuee property, and issues an ordinance stating that "subject to the provisions of this Ordinance it shall be the duty of the Custodian within the area placed in his charge to take possession of the property and effects of evacuees and to take such measures as he considers necessary or expedient for preserving such property or effects." Karachi. A new ministry has been created to look after the rehabilitation of the refugees pouring into Pakistan from all parts of India. It will be called the Ministry of Evacuation and Rehabilitation.
- 11, Lord Ismay visits Karachi to apprise the Quaid-i-Azam of the efforts of the Indian Government to curb anti-Muslim violence. "He looked very dignified and very sad, and he spoke like a man without hope," Ismay observes.
- 12, Jinnah has announced a special fund for the refugees and asked the nation to contribute generously: "Let every man and woman resolve from this day to live henceforth strictly on an asuterity basis in respect of food, clothing and other amenities of life and let the money, foodstuffs and clothing thus saved be brought to this common pool for the relief of the stricken. The winter is approaching and in the Punjab and Delhi particularly, it is very severe and we must provide refuge against it." The Fund will be administered by committee of 6 people including Jinnah himself, 2 ministers, President of the Sindh Provincial Muslim League and the Auditor-General of Pakistan. Sub-committees will be set up with the provincial governors (and Chief Commissioner in the case of Baluchistan).
- 15, Jinnah calls upon the Government of India to ensure safety and wellfare of Muslims in Delhi and punish agressors and a Train service starts to evacuate Pakistan-bound Muslims from Delhi.
- 17, Jinnah calls upon Muslims of tribal areas and elsewhere not to retaliate. "Apart from such action being contrary to Islamic teachings, it is also not in our interest to do so, and such action will serve no useful purpose as a relief to those Musalmans who happen to be minorities in Hindustan or elsewhere in the sub-continent."
- 26, Clouds of war loom over Pakistan and India. Even Gandhi seems to have given in to the hysteria, as today he was heard saying at his prayer gathering in India that he had been an opponent of all warfare but if there was no other way of securing justice from Pakistan, if Pakistan persistently refused to see its proved error and continued to minimize it, the Indian Union government would have to go to war against it. Pakistan must give an industrial bias to its economy. The Quaid made this statement while laying the foundation stone of the Valika Textile Mills. He said that Sind has been surplus in the production of food, and according to one estimate, if given full opportunity it can be three times more prosperous in agriculture and industry than Egypt. It is therefore important that attention should be paid to other fields along with agriculture, such as science, commerce and industry. "The real power and strength of the State lies in its capacity to produce," he said.
- 30, Pakistan joins the UNO as a member state
Sep Jubilee, Karachi, the first cinema to open since Independence
Looking ahead
While many politicians and intellectuals in India seem to be hoping for a revoking of Pakistan - much to the irritation of the Pakistan Government, which finds it outrightly insulting - there are others, like Durga Das of Hindustan Times, who are willing to make pragmatic calculations about the future of these two dominions. However, such views are not always bright and sunny (though sometimes they are). In a series of four special articles written in the last week of this month, Durga Das has compared political conditions in India and Pakistan. The manner in which these two countries have reacted, according to him, suggest that before long Pakistan would become another Iran and India would go the way of Chiang's China. He envisions government by politicians for politicians in India, and in Pakistan rule by Civil Servants, army officers and landed aristocracy for themselves. The sanction behind the Indian politician, according to Das, is the people's trust in him and the mass base of the Congress Party. The Muslim masses, according to Das, have played a politically passive role in the final "haggling for Pakistan," and so have the Muslim politicians who had nothing on their cards except their devotion to Jinnah.
October
- 3, Bahawalpur accedes to Pakistan.
- 8, Pakistan denounces division of PalestinePalestinePalestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
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Jinnah wants the minorities to stay in Pakistan
- Saturday 11, Karachi. Pakistan wants its non-Muslim population to stay. Addressing a gathering of Civil, Naval, Military and Air Force Officers in Khaliqdina Hall, Karachi, the Quaid-i-Azam stated: "I have repeatedly made it clear in my utterances, both private and public, that we would treat the minorities fairly and that nothing is farther from our thoughts than to drive them away. I, however, regret to say that the minorities here did not give us a chance to prove our bonafides and give us their whole-hearted co-operation as citizens of Pakistan when the crisis suddenly overtook us. Before we could assume the reins of office, non-Muslims started pulling out of Pakistan, which, as subsequent events have proved, was part of a well-organized plan to cripple Pakistan."
- 14, Daily Jang, a new 4-page evening newspaper from Karachi
- 16, Lahore. Auchenlick suggests in a meeting of Joint Defense Council that the office of the Supreme Commander should be liquefied by November 30. Pakistan opposes the suggestion while India supports it.
Apparently, Auchenlick's decision is prompted by the resentment of the Indian politicians against his treatment of Pakistan in the division of arms and army stores.
- 20, Diplomatic relations established between Pakistan and USA: A.H.Ispahani first ambassador
- 22, Indian forces occupy ManavadarManavadarManavadar is a city and a municipality in Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat.-Accession of Manavadar to India:*1733 Manavadar state founded.*1818 British protectorate....
. Following complaints of high-handedness against the Muslim population by the forces of the Hindu Maharajah of Kashmir, a lashkar (army) of tribal volunteers from Pakistan has crossed into the state. Reportedly, Jinnah doesn't know about it, and when someone tried to tell him, he refused to listen, saying, "Let my conscience be clear of it."
- 23, PM Liaquat proposes to Nehru that the two governments should discuss and settle the conditions for the holding of a plebiscite in JunagadhJunagadhJunagadh is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city is the 7th largest in Gujarat. The city is located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 km south west of state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. The city is in western India. Literally translated,...
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Pakistan supports the Arabs in Palestine
- Saturday 25, Duncan Hooper, correspondent of Reuter interviewed Jinnah today. Answering a question about Pakistan's attitude towards the partition plan for Palestine, Jinnah stated: "The leader of our delegation to the UNO, Sir Mohammad Zafrullah Khan, has clearly defined out position regarding the latest developments in Palestine and I do still hope that the partition plan will be rejected, otherwise it is bound to be the gravest disaster and unprecendented conflict, not only between the Arabs and the authority that would undertake to enforce the partition plan, but the entire Muslim world will revolt against such a decision which cannot be supported historically, politically or morally."
Regarding the relations between India and Pakistan, Jinnah stated that "we should bury the past and resolve that, despite all that has happened, we shall remain friends." He said that as neighbours the two dominions can help raise the prestige of each other, but India must stop its propaganda that Pakistan is a "temporary madness." He said that Pakistan has come to stay and will stay, and there cannot be any forced union between the two countries. Two-nation theory, he said, is not a theory but a fact and it has been proven by, among other things, by the "action of the Dominion of India in pulling out Hindus from Pakistan as their nationals." Peshawar. Defence Secretary Iskander Mirza revealed the details of the tribal invasion of Kashmir to the Governor Cunningham (NWFP) today. Mirza was meeting the governor on behalf of PM Liaquat, who could not visit in person due to heart problem. Cunningham was greatly upset on what he considered a savage infilitration, and wanted to resign on the spot. Mirza appeased him by explaining that the tribals could not have been stopped: they are retaliating to the attrocities committed by the state forces of Kashmir on its Muslim citizens.
- 26, Jinnah answers a telegram from the Government of Kashmir, dated October 18, but released to the press before it could reach him. He says that it is quite obvious that the real intention of the Maharajah is "to join the Indian Dominion as a coup d'etat by securing the intervention and assistance of that Dominion," and reiterates the urgency for the Government of Kashmir to hold a meeting with the authorities in Pakistan - a request that has been refuted many times in last few weeks. Kashmir. The tribal lashkar is now close to Srinagar, and the Rajah has fled from SrinagarSrinagarSrinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...
to JammuJammuJammu , also known as Duggar, is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India.Jammu city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir...
. However, following the occupation of many towns and villages on the way, the tribal volunteers are now busy plundering the property and raping women - they claim that this is their privilege since Islam permits to take booty (maal e ghanimet), including kaneez, or enemy women captured during war.
- 27, Kashmir. Indian forces have landed into Kashmir. Pakistani premier Liaquat Ali Khan was informed of this move by his Indian opposite number Nehru in a telegram. Nehru maintains that the intervention by the Indian army has followed an instrument of accession from the Maharaja of Kashmir, who found himself helpless against the tribal invasion.
- 28, Pakistan refuses to accept India's justification for the intervention.
- 30, Lahore. Jinnah addressed a rally at the University Stadium here today: "Do not be afraid of death," he said. Defending the decision of the Muslim League to accept the 3rd June Plan (which created Pakistan but also forced partition of Punjab and Bengal much to the anguish of the new state), he said: "I would like to tell that the consequences of any other alternative would have been too disastrous to imagine."
He has also made a broadcast speech from Radio Pakistan, Lahore, today. "We have been squeezed in as much as it ws possible," he says, "and the latest blow we have received was the Award of the Boundary Commission. It is an unjust, incomprehensible and even perverse Award... but we had agreed to abide by it and... as honorable people we must abide by it."
- 31, Jinnah addresses a deputation of the Committee of Action of the Punjab Muslim Studens Federation (the student wing of the Muslim League) at Lahore: "You are the nation-builders of tomorrow and you must fully equip yourself by discipline, education and training for the arduous task lying ahead of you."
Some 17000 employees of the Government of Pakistan stranded in India have gathered in Bombay, from where they are trickling into the capital of the new country. It may take a few months before all of them reach Karachi.
November
- 8, ChitralChitralChitral or Chetrar , translated as field in the native language Khowar, is the capital of the Chitral District, situated on the western bank of the Kunar River , in Pakistan. The town is at the foot of Tirich Mir, the highest peak of the Hindu Kush, high...
, Dir have announced annexation with Pakistan. Major princely states to have become part of Pakistan now include Khairpur, Bahawalpur, Hunza and Nagar - the last mentioned having done so after dramatic battles to liberate themselves from the Indian Forces.
- 9, Jinnah cancels his trip to RawalpindiRawalpindiRawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
due to a sudden illness. He was expected there to meet the Armed Forces, members of the Security Guards, and the people of Rawalpindi.
Jungadh has fallen
- Sunday 9, India has assumed control over the entire state of Junagadh. An Azad Fauj, or liberation army, of 20,000 men with armored cars and other modern weapons entered Junagadh two days ago and the state fell - the ruler had already left with his family for the safer pastures in Pakistan. Officially, the action was taken on the request of the Dewan of Junagadh, who feared disorder and chaos in the state.
The Government of Pakistan has protested, saying that since the accession of the state to Pakistan (September 5), the Dewan had no authority to negotiate a settlement with India.
- 22, In a message to the British officers serving under the Supreme Command (scheduled to close at the end of this month), and those who had volunteered to serve in Pakistan, Jinnah states: "Our own Pakistani officers are at present inadequate in numbers, in technical training and in experience to shoulder the whole burden at once. But my Government's policy is complete nationalization of the officers' cadre of the three services at such speed as is compatible with efficiency. I extend to all British officers, who are prepared to stay on and help us, a sincere welcome and I am confident that my Government will treat them in the same way as our nationals in our service."
- 27, Sindh Government warns Sindh Observer for printing evocative items
- 28, All-Pakistan Educational Conference held in Karachi. In his message issued yesterday, Jinnah has emphasised on the need for technical and vocational education.
- 30, The Office of the Supreme Commander is liquefied. The British Government passed these orders in view of the disagreement between the governments of India and Pakistan over this issue, but it is widely believed in Pakistan that Lord Louis Mountbatten's failure to take a stand against the rowdy Indian politicians is the actual reason. Supreme Commander Auchinleck is praised here for staying impartial in dividing the military provisions between the dominions of India and Pakistan, and Mountbatten's alleged failure in taking a stand only helps to guess what a disaster he could have been as a joint Governor-General of India and Pakistan.
December
- 1, Karachi. Pakistan Cricket Control Board established.
- 3, Karachi. Sardar Najibullah Khan, special representative of His Majesty the King of Afghanistan in Pakistan presented his credentials to Jinnah today, and received his welcome.
The establishment of diplomatic relations with Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
has its own peculiar importance for the newborn dominion of Pakistan. As heir to the British crown in the provinces of NWFP and Baluchistan, the Government of Pakistan is also the heir to the thousand miles long border with the unreliable Afghan country, and the unpredictable relationship with its King. Afghanistan is also the gateway to Asia for the formidable USSR. It was quite out of this consideration that the British fought many indecissive battles against the Afghans before deciding that they are their own best defenders against any possible Russian aggression.
- 9, New Delhi. India and Pakistan sign an agreement about the cash balance and debts, according to which Pakistan's share of the cash balances and of the uncovered national debt should be 17.5 percent. The cash balance share comes to 750 million rupees, out of which 200 million have already been paid. References to the Arbitral Tribunal over this issue are now withdrawn. The newborn state is facing serious financial problems as India refuses to release Pakistan's share of the treasury. Mr. Patel's plea is that Pakistan will use this money for pursuing the war in Kashmir, but that sounds unfair because the war was already in progress when Mr. Patel signed the agreement in early December. Many government officers are without basic necessities; typewriters are luxuries not to be thought about as some of the employees have to bring thorns from trees and bushes for use as common pins!
- 10, Dacca. Students demonstrate for officializing Bangla language. Some 4.68 million refugees have arrived in West Punjab by now. Of these, 3.92 millions were moved by the Military Evacuee Organization, which was been set up in Lahore on August 28.
- 15, Karachi. Pakistan Muslim League separated from All India Muslim League, East Bengal. Three Calcutta newspapers banned in Dacca.
- 19, Karachi. In his interview to Robert Stimson, Correspondent of BBC, Jinnah says that His Majesty's Government has shown indifference to Pakistan. "I fully realize that Britain has no power to intervene in the affairs of any Dominion, but at the same time Britain and other Dominions are in a position to use moral persuasion to help settle differences between members of the Commonwealth." He says that the Pakistan Constituent Assembly will decide whether is to remain in the British Commonwealth of Nations or not, "but persially I have no doubts that Pakistan will be ready to to stay..."
- 22, Jinnah gives message to Pakistan Boy Scouts: "Despite the progress of civilization, the law of the jungle, unfortunately, still prevails... If we are to build a safer, cleaner and happier world let us start with the individual - catch him young and inculcate in him the scout's motto of service before self and purity in thought, word and deed."
- 24, Jinnah replies to the King of Yemen's thank you telegram for Pakistan's support to the Arabs on the Palestine issue. Karachi. Jinnah receives El Shuraiki, Envoy Extraordinary from the King of Transjordan.
- 25, List of national holidays issued, including the Quaid-i-Azam Day. Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah's birthday was celebrated widely as a national holiday today. In Karachi, dignitaries were received at the Governor-General House, while telegrams poured in from across the world, including one from the US President Harry S. Truman.
The earliest records of Jinnah's birthday in his school register suggest October 20, 1875. Jinnah himself stated in a court in Karachi in 1896 that he was born in October 1875. However, from 1917 (when Sarojini Naidu wrote his first biography: The Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity), Jinnah gave out December 25, 1876 as his date of birth. This date of birth has been carried on his passport and all other official documents at least since then and publicly celebrated by his followers for quite some years now. Since he is a man ferociously protective of his private life nobody knows, nor dare him ask, the evidence that led him to believe that the most important festival in the word was also his date of birth.
- 31, The issue of Kashmir taken to UN
See also
- 1946 in India1946 in IndiaEvents in the year 1946 in India.-Events:* January - Royal Air Force Mutiny of 1946 of British and Indian air force units* 11 February - I.N.A...
- Other events of 1947
- 1948 in Pakistan1948 in Pakistan-Events:* Widespread violence and massacres of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs* Nearly 10 million people migrate to Pakistan and India. Muslims immigrate to Pakistan while Hindus and Sikhs emigrate to India.-January:...
- Timeline of Pakistani historyTimeline of Pakistani historyAlthough, the land of Indus, as a state gained independence on August 14, 1947, it has a very long history that goes back over thousands of years and it is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited regions. The Indus Valley was known as Meluhha in Mesopotamia when the Harappan civilization...