Book Reviews Sikandar Hayat, Aspects of Pakistan Movement, 3rd revised

Abstract

Creation of Pakistan in 1947 and the country’s history since then has formed a lively topic for research among the body of researchers interested in South Asian history of the twentieth century. This interest has been generated both due to a unique era of struggle, which led to its creation, and due to the trials and tribulations that Pakistan faced since its birth. In spite of the fact that it was the single most-desired political goal of the overwhelming majority of Indian Muslims, in the 1930s and 1940s, it still faced strong opposition from the Indian National Congress. The British had introduced that type of democracy which was based on the ‘majority’ principle which, after independence, was going to be the system of government in the country. The Muslims and their leadership, particularly Sir Syed, Allama Iqbal and Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, all felt, that this would provide an insufficient guarantee of protection of their political rights and interests in the face of overwhelming majority of Hindus in post-independence India. The Muslim League, under the leadership of Jinnah, after exploring all avenues of politics to get palpable share of power and opportunities for Indian Muslims in united India, that Congress refused to ensure, ultimately demanded a separate homeland for the Muslims of India in the northwest and the northeast regions where Muslims themselves constituted majorities. The British, Hindus and Sikhs opposed the partition of India, but Jinnah successfully achieved it as the authoritative demand for Pakistan , predicated on the ‘two-nation theory,’ with Muslim being a separate nation and thus entitled to their own separate homeland