S3H

Pakistan Studies (LLB – 112)

Week 4: Allama Iqbal and the Idea of Pakistan

Ms. Rehma Rabab Hyder

rehma.hyder@s3h.nust.edu.pk
Fall 2020

Rehma Hyder | Pakistan Studies | Fall 2020 1

 Lecture Outline S3H

Main Topic: Allama Iqbal and the Idea of Pakistan

→ Indian Declaration for Self- Governance: Political Development
(1927 - 1939)
1. Delhi-Muslim Proposals (1927)
2. Simon Commission (1927-1930)
3. Nehru Report (1928) and M.A. Jinnah's 14 points rebuttal (1929)
4. Allama Iqbal’s Philosophy and Allahabad Address (1930)
5. Round Table Conferences (1930-1932) and the idea of Pakistan (1933)
6. Government of India Act, 1935
7. 1937 Elections & Congress Rule
8. Congress Rule (1937 – 1939)
9. World War II and Day of Deliverance
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 Delhi-Muslim Proposals (1927)
S3H

• M.A. Jinnah’s attempt for AIML and INC cooperation with the aim of
self-governance if, latter agreed to provide constitutional safeguards
for Muslim community
Proposal:
1. Separate Sindh from Bombay to form a new province
2. NWFP and Baluchistan be given full provincial powers along with
reforms in the area
3. Equal weightage for Muslim minorities in Hindu majority provinces
and vice versa
4. 1/3rd representation of Muslims in central legislature
Spoiler: Hindu Mahasabha (extremist faction) and Gandhi

Rehma Hyder | Pakistan Studies | Fall 2020 3

 Simon Commission (1927-1930) S3H

Purpose: Seven member (all British)

committee formed by Lord
Birkenhead(sec. of state of India) to assess
law situation and suggest reforms
Committee Members visited India only
twice and were received by protests (non-
cooperation by AIML and INC)

Key personalities: Lala Lajpat Rai and

Bhagat Singh
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bhagat-
Singh
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Nehru Report (1928)
S3H

Incentive: 1st attempt by Indians to frame a constitution in response to

Lord Birkenhead’s challenge that Indians lacked political wisdom
Led by: Pandit Motilal Nehru (Jawaharlal’s father)
Proposals:
1. Dominion status for India
2. Two-tier Parliament based on universal suffrage
3. Unitary form of govt. with a strong center but no powers reserved
for British
4. No reserved seats for Muslims (weightage abolished)
5. No separate electorate to ensure religious liberty
6. Partial support for Sindh province not for NWFP or Baluchistan

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M.A. Jinnah’s 14 points (1929) S3H

Jinnah suggested amendments in Nehru report (Delhi-Muslim proposals be

added) but any change in favor of Muslims was turned done by Hindu
Mahasabha
• March 1929, Jinnah presents his 14 points as a basis for any future
constitution of United India:
1. Federal system, uniform autonomy to all provinces
2. Adequate representation & safeguards (religious liberty) for all
minorities especially Muslims
3. 1/3rd representation of Muslims in central legislature
4. Sindh, NWFP and Baluchistan be given full provincial status with
adequate reforms
• The points became basis of negotiation at RTC’s but were overshadowed
by Iqbal’s ideology/conception of a Muslim state

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Simon Commission Report – 1930
• proposals by Nehru (1928) and Jinnah (1929) not included in final report S3H

Main points of 1930 report:

1. Federal system; more power to provinces
2. Diarchy system ended; provincial govt. responsible to elected legislature
3. Provincial ministers to be chosen from the majority parties
4. NWFP to be given a legislative council but no separate govt. without
negotiations with the tribal chiefs. (no change in Sindh’s status)
5. Council of Greater India to be formed to represent interests of all-India
(including semi-autonomous princely states)

Indian Response:
• Report rejected by AIML and INC, therefore never implemented
• Lacked British sincerity to introduce reforms beneficial to all communities
• No safeguards for minorities mentioned
• Interpreted as British delay in handing over govt. to Indians & led to the RTC’s
(Round Table Conference) in London
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 Allama Iqbal (1877-1938)
Iqbal’s Philosophy and Allahabad Address (1930) S3H

“I would like to see Punjab, NWFP, Sindh and Baluchistan amalgamated

into a single state. Self-government within the British Empire or without
the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-West Indian
Muslim state appears to me the final destiny of Muslim, at least of North
India.”
- Iqbal’s presidential address to the 1930 AIML Allahabad session
Significance: The idea of a separate Muslim state in India was promoted
from AIML’s platform.
“A separate federation of Muslim provinces, is the only course by which
we can secure a peaceful India and save Muslims from the domination of
non-Muslims. Why should not the Muslims of North-West and Bengal be
considered as nations entitled to self-determination, just as other nations
in India and outside India are”
- Iqbal’s letter to Jinnah, June.1937.
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Iqbal’s Philosophy: S3H

• The central concept - Khudi (not pride/ego rather self-awareness)

Khudi is not merely personal, but is divided into 3 basic realities i.e.
a). Unique Self (God) b). Creative Self (man) c). Larger Self (the society)
According to Iqbal, a harmonious working of man and society produces
a durable human civilization, which fulfils the purpose of God.
• The reconstruction of Muslim society is possible only through
democracy; (inclusiveness and tolerance)
• Belief in Monotheism (the Oneness of God) brings 3 values in human
society: liberty, equality and stability
• An Islamic state is based on social contract; therefore non-Muslims
have nothing to fear in an Islamic state.

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Round Table Conferences (1930-1932) S3H

1st RTC - Nov.1930 -Jan.1931

a) 58 member Indian Delegation led by Sir Agha Khan III including M.A.
Jinnah (Congress absent)
b) British proposal for Indian federation but with a British executive
responsible to legislature; only princely states agreed to this
c) Inconclusive as demand for dominion or independence rises at home
with Gandhi’s 2nd civil disobedience movement (Salt March
https://www.history.com/topics/india/salt-march)
d) Gandhi arrested then released under the Gandhi-Irwin pact i.e.
congress stop civil disobedience and join the next RTC

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2nd RTC – Sept. - Dec.1931:
S3H
a) Attended by Iqbal, M. A. Jinnah and Gandhi
b) Communal differences over representation of minorities
could not be settled between the parties
c) Princely states withdrew assent to join Indian federation
d) Resulted in the Communal Award Aug. 1932; British
offered their suggestion on representation issue, but it
led to reduction in Muslim seats in Punjab and Bengal.
e) Only positive was separate electorate for Sikhs and the
Depressed classes (untouchables)
f) Separate electorate for untouchables was withdrawn on
Gandhi’s insistence

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3rd RTC: Nov-Dec. 1932 Idea of Pakistan – Chaudary Rehmat Ali
SH
3

a) Completely inconsequential as Now or Never (1933) – What does the

Gandhi and M.A. Jinnah absent, Pakistan National Movement stand for?
congress boycotted “Pakistan is both a Persian and Urdu word.
b) Gandhi under arrest by new viceroy It is composed of letters taken from the
Lord Willingdon causing another civil names of all our homelands – ‘Indians’ and
disobedience movement to begin ‘Asian’. That is Panjab, Afghania [NWFP],
Kashmir. Iran, Sindh (including Kutch and
c) Jinnah not invited as he had accused Kathiawar), Tukharistan, Afghanistan and
certain British members of partiality; Balochistan. It means the land of the Paks –
rather it was his insistence on the 14 the spiritually pure and clean. It symbolizes
points that led to his exclusion the religious beliefs and ethnical stocks of
d) Resulted in a White Paper (1933) that our people and it stands for all the
summarized recommendations of all territorial constituents of our original
3 RTC’s and led to the Govt. of India Fatherland.”
Act 1935
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 Govt. of India Act 1935 S3H

Significance:
1. Last formal act determining the governance structure of India
passed by the British to appease the self-created communal
divide
2. The Act coalesced recommendations from all parties after the
RTC’s while retaining British supremacy and advancing some
powers to the Indians
3. Both India and Pakistan adopted this act as their basic law
before promulgating their respective constitutions
Main Features of the GOI Act 1935:
The act had two parts Federal (diarchy) & Provincial (no diarchy)
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Federal (Diarchy): Provincial: Diarchy removed, Governor to S H
3

1. Constituted an executive body of a act on the advice of the elected Chief

governor-general and council of Minister, assemblies replaced councils in
the provinces.
ministers
Reserved: Defence, foreign 1. 6 provinces (Bengal, Bihar, Assam, UP,
affairs, tribal area affairs and Bombay & Madras) had bicameral
ecclesiastical (church) affairs legislature while 5 had lower house
only
Transferred: education, finance,
law, railways, commerce, 2. Legislative Council (upper) and
industries and labor Legislative Assembly (lower)
2. Bicameral legislature: Council of 3. NWFP, Sindh, Orissa made full-fledged
state (upper house, 250) and provinces with legislative assembly and
House of Assembly (lower house, governor
375 members) 4. Federal court set up to settle disputes
between provincial and federal govt.
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Indian Provincial Elections 1937 S3H

1. All political parties condemned the federal part of GOI Act

1935 but accepted the provincial part as it promised
provincial autonomy hence elections only for provincial
legislatures in early 1937
2. 1st broad-based elections to truly test the representative
status of political parties of India
3. AIML did not fair well against Congress even though under
separate electorate it only faced Muslim voters
4. Congress won majority votes and was able to form its govt. in
7 out of 11 provinces
Provinces: Madras, Central Provinces, Bihar, Orissa, UP, Bombay,
Assam, NWFP, Bengal, Punjab and Sindh

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 Causes of AIML Failure in 1937 Elections S3H

1. AIML suffered a setback during Khilafat Movement.

Why? Khilafat was an emotional issue for Muslims, they sidelined
Jinnah and AIML to join Congress and Gandhi against British, this
trend could not be reversed in time for elections
2. Provincial autonomy nature of GOI act invoked regional and
provincial tendencies in Muslim parties and the voters; being Muslim
did not translate to a united political front
3. Party organization especially during elections was the honorary
secretary’s responsibility. Liaquat Ali Khan selected as sec. in April
1936, resigned in Nov.1936 choosing to stand as an independent
candidate.
Hence, overall AIML lacked party discipline and unity to gain Muslim
voter's support

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Congress Rule (1937-1939)
S3H
1. Congress govt. had a derogatory attitude towards Muslims as their
ministries alienated Muslims of their provinces
2. Symbolic changes: singing of Vande Mataram, saluting Gandhi’s
portrait in schools and Hindi replacing Urdu in educational and govt.
institutes
3. Significant rise in Hindu-Muslim riots and hate crimes
4. AIML published 3 reports about Congress misrule i.e. Pirpur report
(UP), Sharif report (Bihar), Fazlul Haq Report (congress rule in
general); Congress turned blind eye to these
5. Muslim voters began to regret having caused AIML defeat
6. Oct. 1937, AIML conducted public meetings in Lucknow (UP) to
resounding success and rise in supporters

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World War II (WW II) and Day of Deliverance S3H

• World War II (1939-1945)

Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Imperial Japan and failure of British –
French appeasement policy
Aggressors (Axis) Defenders (Allies) Victors
Germany Great Britain & France, U.S.A
Italy USSR (Russia)
Japan China

1. WWII broke out on Sept 3rd, 1939. The same day Viceroy Lord
Linlithgow declared India to be at war with Germany and put all
constitutional advance on hold
2. Congress protested on not being consulted and demanded
independence from Britain immediately
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 S3H
3. Britain initially refused but eventually “promised” dominion status
at end of the war
4. Sept. 22nd, 1939, Congress resigned from all its ministries
5. M.A. Jinnah attempted to mediate only if Congress agreed on a
coalition govt. with AIML, end hostilities against Muslims and pass
no legislation affecting Muslims without a Muslim majority vote
6. Congress refused and Jinnah decided to observe Dec. 22nd, 1939 as
a “day of deliverance” from Congress rule. AIML enjoyed significant
resurgence
7. Between 1937-1942 AIML won 46/56 seats in by-elections
8. On the other hand, British relieved of Congress hindrance, fought
World War II with Indian soldiers and resources

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Next Week: S3H

Main Topic: The Pakistan Movement (1940 -1947)

→ World War II (1939-1945) and its impact on the sub-continent
→ Lahore Resolution (1940) - Revisiting The Two Nation Theory
→ Cripps Mission and the Quit India Movement (1942)
→ Simla Conference and Indian Elections (1945
→ The Cabinet Mission Plan [CMP] (Feb.-July 1946)
→ The Partition Plan (3rd June 1947) and The Radcliffe Award
(Aug.1947)
→ Quaid – e – Azam: M.A. Jinnah, the architect of a new South Asian
Muslim state.

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