Research Proposal

Viewing Geopolitical Relations Between India & Pakistan through the Prism of Partition:
Identifying its Imprint in Punjab.

Submitted by: Stuti Shandilya

Submitted to: CIPOD, School of Internationals Studies, JNU
Course: M.Phil
Subject: Political Geography

Table of Content
TITLE

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

BACKGROUND OF STUDY

LITERATURE REVIEW

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

HYPOTHESIS

RELEVANCE OR SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

STUDY AREA

5
5

METHODOLOGY
TENTATIVE CHAPTER ORGANIZATION/ STRUCTURE OF THESIS
REFERENCES

6
7
8

TITLE
Viewing Geopolitical Relations Between India & Pakistan through the Prism of Partition:
Identifying its Imprint in Punjab.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The Geopolitical Relations between India & Pakistan is hostile and often they experience violent
outrages because of many factors which include Bloody Partition, Deeply Engraved Religious
Rivalry and an Uncomforting Conflict on border issues.
BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The Partition: The Muslim and Hindu regions of India were not clearly defined. In fact, there
were two mainly-Muslim regions 1,000 miles apart; one lay to the northwest of India and the
other to the northeast. It was decided that these two geographically unconnected regions would
become Pakistan and that the rest would be the independent nation of India. And so, in August of
1947, India and Pakistan were officially formed. Nehru became Prime Minister of India and
Jinnah became Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Problems within Pakistan: Independence also left Pakistan with serious problems. First was a
lack of leadership after the death of Jinnah in 1948. The second problem was geographic. East
and West Pakistan were separated by 1,000 miles of India. West Pakistan controlled the army and
most of the nation's industry. The people of East Pakistan resented their inferior position.
Following widespread rioting in East Pakistan, full-scale civil war began in 1971. India's entry
into the war on the behalf of the East forced West Pakistan to surrender. East Pakistan became
the independent nation of Bangladesh.
Problems within India: In addition to conflicts with Pakistan, India had serious problems at
home. Under new and inexperienced government, poverty and overpopulation grew out of
control. Because Britain had discouraged the growth of industry, India was far behind the
technology of the modern world and depended mainly upon agriculture. Most Indians lived in

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poverty with an average income of less than 1,000 dollars per year. 35% of India's farmland was
owned by the wealthiest 5% of the rural population while half the people owned no land at all
Problems between India and Pakistan: These two Nations faced huge problems. The quick
formation of separate Islamic and Hindu states left tons of people living on the wrong side of the
border. Millions of Hindus found themselves in the Muslim State of Pakistan. Similarly, millions
of Muslims were left in India. Violence broke out as people struggled to get into the nation of
their religious majority. Trainloads of refugees were massacred on both sides of the border. In all
more than 500,000 Muslims and Hindus died.
The Conflict Today: Although situations within the nations of south Asia have improved since
the partition, tensions between India and Pakistan exist up to present day. Pakistan still resents
India's role in the breaking-away of Bangladesh, and conflicts exist between the Muslim beliefs
of Pakistan and the Hindus of India. Also, Terrorism and smuggling between these two borders
becoming a menace day by day.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Hundreds of researches have been conducted so for on Partition issue from different angles and
perspective but there are very few which cover the Socio-Economic development in Punjab with
respect to its Political Yardstick. And the reason behind this could be the popular narratives on
Punjab and in Pakistan, in which Partition of 1947 is not regarded as Indias partition but of
Punjab.
THE GREAT DIVIDE: The violent legacy of Indian Partition. By William Dalrymple
In this Book the division of subcontinent is highlighted which is marked with huge bloodied
Diaspora of migration. The horrors of killings, rape, assault are narrated which not only divided
lands but also its people.
Life

after

Partition:

by Sarah Ansari

Migration,

Community

and

Strife

in

Sindh,

1947-1962

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Ansari's Life after Partition is a based on extensive archival work in Karachi - her second home and at The National Archives in London. In addition, she has consulted the contemporary
American diplomatic correspondence and has widely studied the files of Dawn, the main English
daily in Pakistan, which often flagged the issues of the refugees, until recently with its
assumption of a more liberal and mainstream national profile.
The Great Partition: The Making of India and Pakistan by Yasmin Khan
It powerfully captures how the decision of Partition affects the lives of ordinary people. Across
India and Pakistan, religious cleansing forced people to migrate to the other side. Khan relates
one eyewitness account in which a group of Punjabi Muslims who had resisted pressure to go to
Pakistan were removed by the military
The 1947 Partition of India: A Paradigm for Pathological Politics in India and Pakistan by
Ishtiaq Ahmed
This article seeks to shed light on the role of a particular historical event can play in conferring
legitimacy to the politics of communal and national animosities and hostilities. The partition of
India in 1947 was, on the one hand, a gory consummation of a long process of mutual
demonizing and dehumanizing by Hindu and Muslim extremists.
Toba Tek Singh by Saadat Hassan Manto
Toba Tek Singh" is surely the most famous story about Partition, and very possibly the best one.
I'd argue that it is in fact the best, and that most of the other good candidates are also by Manto.
This story was one of his last ones; it was published in "Phundne" (Lahore: Maktabah-e Jadid) in
1955, the year of his death.
Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh
This novel is based on that dark staunch naked barbaric bitter and dirty truth of Indian
Independence, which we call DIVISION. After all, not everyone got what they wanted. This
novel gives vivid accounts of the massacres of Hindus and Muslims, especially on the border

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towns of India. Train to Pakistan, are the chapters of an unfinished epic. In fiction there is always a
possibility to live through a contrived reality; one can choose and leave.

Aaj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu (Today I invoke Waris Shah "Ode to Waris Shah") by
Amrita Pritam
This poem was to later immortalize her and become the most poignant reminder of the horrors of
Partition. The poem addressed to the Sufi poet Waris Shah, author of the tragic saga of Heer and
Ranjah and with whom she shares her birthplace, the Punjabi national epic.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
It is important to note, that the geopolitical relationship between India and Pakistan has always
been theorised in the same way, partially due its tangled history. So, the approach that both
governments took in forming their Geopolitical Relations, are very consistent especially on
sensitive case of the territorial dispute, property & people. The two nations agree to conduct
peace and negotiations talk on various kinds of edgy matters where possibility of compromise is
always present. So, policies which determine these possibilities are very challenging and
promising.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the social, economical and political implications of Partition on People & Region?
2. What are the levels of Geopolitical Cooperation shared between these two nations?
3. How the process of rehabilitation and reformation of refugees is being addressed in Punjab?
4. How the problems related to Border and Frontiers of study area is being tackled?
5. What approach is needed and How both Nations help in adopting it?
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1. To determine the consequences of Partition as Phenomenon on Land & its People.

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2. To highlight the level of Co-operation between two nations on Parameters like- Trade, Finance
and Border Issues.
3. To describe about the Dominion approach adopted in rehabilitation of Refugees in Punjab.
4. To unveil the magnitude of problems of Water Dispute, Smuggling of Drugs, Weapons and
Illegal Migration across these demarcated Borders & Frontiers of study area.
5. To suggest Pragmatic approach and Negotiating talks between these two nations & role of
their respective High Commission.
HYPOTHESIS
The Geopolitical Relation Between India & Pakistan is dynamic and moves from strained
relationship and conflict which earlier regarded as inevitable and unending due to Partition.
RELEVANCE OR SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Relevance to Academicians & Students:

The study would help Academicians & Students to

understand in-depth knowledge and perform various analyses on the Geopolitical relations
between these two nations. The concept of Partition as a political Decision would how affect
even a common person is gets immensely highlighted.
Relevance to Policy makers & diplomatic analysts: The thesis will provide very useful
suggestions regarding policy framing on the issues like: refugees identity crisis, their
displacement & rehabilitation, Problems of Terrorism, smuggling of banned goods, illegal
migration & sometimes grudge full detention of civilians.
Relevance to People of Study Area: The people, on which the research actually is being carried
out, would benefit indirectly by the implementation of new policies. Also, in general g
participating in research would create awareness.
STUDY AREA

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Punjab is a state in North India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered
by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Himachal Pradesh to the
east, Haryana to the south and southeast, Rajasthan to the southwest, and the Pakistani province
of Punjab to the west. The state capital is located in Chandigarh, a Union Territory and also the
capital of the neighbouring state of Haryana. After the partition of India in 1947, the Punjab
province of British India was divided between India and Pakistan. The Indian Punjab was
divided in 1966 with the formation of the new states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh alongside
the current state of Punjab.
METHODOLOGY
Methods of Data Collection
This research and analysis will be qualitative in nature. Primary and Secondary data would be
required to do conduct the research. The Secondary data will include the historical evidences
from different books, online sources, articles and research papers, while Primary data would be
collected through such as first hand survey and Interview method.
The Secondary Data would be collected through published books, journals, articles, reports,
newspapers, magazines or authentic websites. While, for Primary Data collection Interview
Method, Interpretative Method & Questionnaire Method would be adopted. Basis of
Selection of Interviewees -The selection of interviewees would be done on the basis of stratified
random sampling. The criteria in choosing the sample are one the basis of Age, Religion, Gender
(as in the case of Punjab-where each category of people have different experience & views).
Methods of Data Analysis
As, the Data is quantitative in nature which is obtained through Interview Schedule & in-depth
personal discussions followed by one-to-one talks, so, the analysis is largely depend on Content
analysis, Qualitative research analysis & Descriptive statistical analysis which is not only
highlights the quantities yardstick data but also largely highlights the qualitative aspects which

includes many emotional, social & psychological attachment with the study area which often
gets ignored if one only takes into account of numerical values.
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TENTATIVE CHAPTER ORGANIZATION/ STRUCTURE OF THESIS

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REFERENCES
1. The Punjab Bloodied, Partitioned and Cleansed in 1947: How and Why? By Ishtiaq Ahmed
2. Nation, Reason and Religion: The Punjabs Role in the Partition of India by Ayesha Jalal
3. Riots, Refugees and Rehabilitation: A Case Study of Punjab 1946-56 by Kanwaljit Kaur
4. The three partitions of 1947 by Pandey
5. The partition of India and retributive genocide in the Punjab, 194647: means, methods, and
Purposes by Paul R. Brass
6. The Partition of India, Ian Talbot, Gurharpal Singh, New York: Cambridge University Press,
7. Pakistans Sponsored Activities in Punjab, Kashmir and Xinjiang: A Historical- Geographical
Background by Sodhganga
8. The Finality of Partition: Bilateral Relations Between India and Pakistan, 1947-1957 by
Pallavi Raghavan
9.The Punjab Moving Journeys, Part-1, Royal Geographical Society with IBG
10. The unfolding crisis in Punjab, March-August 1947 : Key Turning Points and British
Responses by Tahir Kamran