Early Difficulties of Pakistan

Muhammad Ali Jinnah was fortunate political personality, leader, and FATHER OF THE
NATION, who carved out an independent and sovereign Muslim state Pakistan for the 80
million Muslims, one million Christians and one million scheduled castes of Hindus.
Two Nation Theory of the Quaid won the battle against the nationalistic ideas of the
Mahatama Gandhi and Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru who never accepted Pakistan as an
independent state. They thought that it was not a viable state and would be very difficult for
Pakistan to stand on its feet, economically. They started their political endeavours to undo
Pakistan but it was created to exist by the grace of God. It never bowed down before the
Congress. Mr. Achariya Kirplani, the President of the Indian National Congress in 1947,
declared “Neither the Congress nor the national has given up its claim of United India.”Sardar
V.B. Patel, the first Indian Home Minister seated, “Sooner than later, we shall again be united in
common allegiance to our country.”
A the time of establishment, Pakistan had to face innumerable problems which are as
under:–

1. Refugee Problem
Since the Punjab and the Bengal provinces were partitioned, a lot of confusion
took place after 14th August in India and Pakistan. The militant Hindus and the Sikhs got
furious. They killed, butchered, roasted and massacred the Muslims. Their feelings of
hatred towards the Muslims were at the height. The Muslims from these areas started
migrating to Pakistan in great numbers. The Muslims caravans and trains, were looted
and put afire.
About 6.5 million Muslim migrants reached Pakistan. It was very difficult for the
new born government of Pakistan to provide them with food and shelter. However, they
were housed in the schools, colleges and the houses left by the Hindus and Sikhs who
migrated to India and in the camps and tents. The public cooperated with the government
and solved this problem amicably. Refugee camps were established in Karachi, Lahore
and Rawalpindi, APWA rendered a lot of service to humanity.
2. Accommodation Problem
Most of the buildings of the Hindus and the Sikhs were put on fire by the Muslims
in retaliation in Pakistan. Their business, factories and mills were also set afire. Hence,
accommodation problems for the newly migrants and the government offices increased
many fold. The offices were opened in dilapidated buildings, private buildings and in
army barracks, in Karachi.

3. Pakhtoon Problem
The people of the N.W.F.P. under the influence of Khan Ghaffar Khan, the
Frontier Gandhi, father of Wali Khan of the National Awami Party raised the question of
Pakhtoonistan. He said that the Pakhtoons had a separate language, customs and
traditions. He demanded a Pakhtoon State for them within Pakistan. The Congress and
the Afghan rulers favoured him but Pakistan at last solved this problem, though at many
times Pak-Afghan relations deteriorated. Radio Kabul often broadcasts programmes
demanding Pakhtoonistan as a separate and an independent state of the Pashto speaking
people.

4. Language Problem
At the establishment of Pakistan, the FATHER OF THE NATION announced
Urdu as the national language. The West Pakistan accepted it but the East Pakistanis were
not happy over this decision. They also demanded Bengali as state-language. Riots took
place in East Pakistan favouring Bengali as state language. Many students were fired at.
It was the first spark of enmity kindled in the hearts of the East Pakistanis. However, later
on in the Constitution of 1956, Bangali was also declared as national language. This
problem was one of the factors leading to the separation of the East Pakistan in 1971.

5. The Financial Problem

The Reserve Bank of India adopted every measure not to pay Pakistan’s share of
Rs. 750 million of its assets of four billion rupees. However, the first installment of Rs.
 200 million was paid and the rest amount was withheld. Sardar V. Patel threatened
Pakistan not to pay the rest of Rs. 550 million until it recognized Kashmir as an integral
part of India. Mahatma M. K. Gandhi came to the help of Pakistan. He went on hunger
strike against the decision of India. Hence, India paid its second installment of Rs. 500
millions.
India spared no effort to undo Pakistan economically. There was a gigantic gap in
trade and commerce. All Hindu and Sikh businessmen migrated to India. Pakistan would
have totally collapsed, had the Nizam of Hyderabad not come to its help. There was no
Muslim bank. The new government opened the New State bank of Pakistan in Karachi in
1948.

6. Problem of the Military Assets

A new born state could not exist without its brave Armed Forces and military
equipment in future. M. A. Jinnah demanded division of the Armed Forces personnel and
equipment, but the British C-in-C, Field Marshal Auchenleck was hesitant to do it.
However, it was divided on 3 rd June, 1947. Pakistan’s share was 36% of the total military
equipment of India. The military officers were given the option either to join Pakistan or
India by the 15th of August. Sixteen ordnance factories were situated in India. The Indian
government gave Rs. 60 millions in lieu of Pakistan’s share of ordinances factories. The
other military assets that Pakistan got were mostly damaged, out of order and obsolete.
India swallowed tanks, special army vehicles and their spare parts. Out of 144 military
vehicles, Pakistan got only 72 which was its legal share. It got no Shermon and Stuart
tanks. Lieutenant Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq later President of Pakistan was in Jhansi at the
time of partition. He travelled in that last train which brought military equipment to
Pakistan. When this train reached Delhi, India made and excuse that the bogie of the train
could not go to Pakistan as it was damaged. In it, was the only tank, Pakistan’s share,
which was forcibly snatched from it?
When this train reached Jallanadher, the same drama was repeated. Lieutenant
Zia-ul-Haq, the incharge of the train and the military officers took their positions at the
station and said that they would not leave military equipment at any cost. After three or
four days, this train was allowed to proceed to Pakistan.
 Therefore, Pakistan aligned towards the West and entered into military pacts to
defend its borders. It joined the SEATO and the Baghdad Pact afterward known as the
CENTO to get American military equipment and military training for our Armed Forces.

Canal Water Dispute

7. Water Shortage
All rivers of Pakistan originate in India or Indian occupied territory. According to
the Radcliffe Award of 17th August 1947, Madhopur and Ferozepur headworks on the
Ravi and Sutlej were given to India to cripple Pakistan’s agriculture. On 1 st April 1948,
India cut off the supply of canal waters of Madhopur and Ferozepur Headworks to West
Pakistan, which caused a vital economic and agricultural threat to Pakistan. Its 20 million
acres of land was under famine.
Pakistan had to buy waters of the Ravi and the Sutlej rivers. Pakistan solved this
problem with the help of the World Bank which got the Indus Basin Water Treaty signed
by Muhammad Ayub Khan and Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru on 19th September 1960.
According to it, Pakistan could use waters of the rivers Chenab, Jhelum and Indus. Under
this Treaty Pakistan was to construct two dams, 4 barrages and eight link canals on these
rivers.

8. Administrative Problems
The Hindus were highly educated than the Muslims in India before 1947. After
the birth of Pakistan, all those Hindus migrated to India, leaving all types of posts vacant.
There was a huge gap of posts to be filled in by the Muslims. Educated and technical staff
in every field of life was needed. The Quaid retained many Britishers to work in very
special fields of the state. He appointed Sir Francis Moody, Sir George Cungham and Sir
Fredrick Bourn as Governors of the Punjab, the N.W.F.P. and the East Pakistan
provinces. He also appointed British C-in-Cs of all the forces. In East Pakistan there were
only two Muslims in the Indian Civil Service. The Pakistanis rose to the occasion and
worked honestly and devotedly to rebuild the new state of Pakistan. Only a few Muslim
government servants could reach Pakistan by Air. The offices were without stationery
and furniture. Pakistan was without its own Constitution. It had to work under the
 Government of India Act, 1935, with some amendments. M.A. Jinnah made Justice
Muhammad Sharif responsible for preparing an interim Constitution for this new state.
He suggested some amendments in the 8 th clause of the Indian Independence Act, 1947
and the Government of India Act, 1935.

9. Social Problem
With the influx of the refugees, the problems of rehabilitation arose in Pakistan.
The residential problem was the most critical. It gave birth to the problems of hygiene
and cleanliness. There were no hospitals, dispensaries, health centres and schools. Most
of the refugees were farmers who aligned towards industrial jobs. It gave rise to the urban
population which gave birth to many social problems.

10. Ethnic Problem

Tens of thousands of the refugees were killed, tortured, butchered, raped and
dishonoured while on their way to Pakistan. The children were cut into pieces in front of
the eyes of their parents by the militant Sikhs and Hindus. It gave rise to communal
hatred especially for the Hindus and the Sikhs. It vehemently affected and obscured
minorities’ relations in Pakistan. Protection of the rights of the minorities became an
important problem for the government.

11. Economic Problem

The British had opened industries in those areas where Hindus were in majority.
They recruited army Jawans from the Muslim majority areas. Jute was produced in East
Bengal but its industry was established in west Bengal. Cotton was grown in West
Pakistan but the textile mills were established mostly in the Hindu majority areas. Out of
400 textile units, only fourteen had been established in the areas now belonging to
Pakistan. The coal reserves had been found in India. Only Habib Bank Limited
transferred its headquarters to Pakistan. Pakistan currency was printed in the Reserve
Bank of India. Thus, Pakistan got economic decline in the beginning.

12. Problem of Transportation

 Pakistan got railway engines and bogies which needed constant repair because
they had been used awfully during the Second World War. Most of them needed
immediate repairs. In the early fifties, India refused to supply coal for the railway
engines, creating a crisis in transportation.
The length of metalled and unmetalled roads in the whole of Pakistan was only
fourteen thousand miles whereas there were no ample roads in the N.W.F.P. the
Baluchistan, the Sindh and the East Pakistan provinces. Pakistan faced acute problems of
transportation.

13. Industrial Problem

The Britishers did not pay attention towards industrialization in the Muslim
majority zones of India. Pakistan got only 34 industries of textile, cement, sugar, and
glass, whereas India inherited about 900. The workers, engineers and entrepreneurs were
mostly non-Muslims who migrated to India. Thus, Pakistan got a crippled industry in the
beginning.

14. Agricultural Problem

At the time of independence about 80% of the population depended upon
agriculture. The Sikhs and the Hindus while leaving Muslim majority areas burnt their
crops in the fields and godowns. India stopped watering Pakistani canals which had their
headworks in India. The farmer was illiterate, conservative, old-fashioned, and used old
methods of agriculture. The seeds were substandard. Chemical fertilizer was not used.
Most of the land suffered from water-logging and salinity.

15. The Accession of the Princely States

(a) Problem of Junagadh and Manavadar
Both these maritime states were owned by the Muslim rulers but with Hindu
majority, about 300 miles away from Karachi at the coast of Arabian sea. Mahabat Khan
the ruler of the Junagadh State announced its accession to Pakistan on 15 th September
1947. Lord Mountbatten the Indian Governor General expressed his displeasure and
wrote to the Quaid-e-Azam that the act of the state was an encroachment on Indian
sovereignty. Hence, India attacked and occupied the state of Junagadh on 8 th November
and 10th November, 1947. The ruler of the state escaped to Karachi. Pakistan protested to
the Indian government and took up the matter with the U.N.O. The case is still
undecided.
The ruler of Manwadar state wished to opt his state to Pakistan on 17 th September,
1947. It was accepted on 23rd September, but the Indian government also raided this state
and took over its administration on 22nd October 1947, forcibly.

(b) Problem of the Hyderabad State

The state of Hyderabad in the Deccan Penninsula was surrounded by India. It was
owned by Mir Usman Ali a Muslim Nizam but with Hindu majority. He wanted to keep
Hyderabad as an independent and sovereign state, but on the contrary, Lord
Mountabatten forced the Nizam to accede the state to India because the state had no sea
and was a landlocked territory. The Nizam of Hyderabad being a Muslim ruler wanted to
a accede to Pakistan. Due to the treachery of Lord Mountbatten, the Nizam concluded a
standstill agreement with India on November 29, 1947. Hence, India nominated K.K.
Munshi its Agent in Hyderabad. He put the allegation on the Premier of the state
honourable Mir Laiq Ali. The Indian Agent sought time for Indian intervention in the
name of protection of the people. The Premier informed the Security Council on 24
August, 1948 of that political situation. Before it could take any decision, the Indian army
intervened and attacked the state on 13th September 1948 and occupied it after four days.
 KASHMIR DISPUTE

● Independence Act stated that the wishes of the people of the princely states be considered

before its accession to India or Pakistan.

● The people of Kashmir wanted their state to be acceded to Pakistan whereas the ruler

Raja Hari Singh Dogra wanted Independent status for his state.

● Raja sent a telegram to the government of Pakistan that the future of Kashmir would be

decided according to the wishes of the people of the valley.

● Raja ordered to unarm Muslims in the Dogra army and the police and further to send

them on leave. The remaining Dogra army consisting of Sikhs and Hindus started a
general massacre of Muslims which forced 200,000 Kashmiri Muslims to migrate to
Pakistan.

● The serving and retired British Indian army Muslim soldiers from Poonch raised up the

arms and started war against Dogra army.

● The tribal Muslims from NWFP went to Kashmir to help their Kashmiri Muslim brother

to get independence. Kashmiri freedom fighters were successful in defeating the Dogra
army on many fronts. Raja fled to Delhi in confusion on 27th October 1947 to seek
military support from India.

● Indian Authorities agreed to help Raja Hari Singh on a condition that he must accede

Kashmir to India first. The accession document was signed on back dates of 26th October
1947.

● The Indian government concealed the document from Pakistan and ordered the Indian

troops to enter the Kashmir valley. They put up an excuse to the Government of Pakistan
 that the penetration of Indian troops in Kashmir was to maintain law and order in the
valley.

● Mr. Jinnah also wanted to send Pakistan army to the valley but Field Marshal Auchinlek

opposed Mr. Jinnah as he feared that the confrontation may take place between the two
forces which would lead to the casualties of British officers in both armies.

● The well-equipped Indian army defeated the tribal force and freedom fighters and pushed

them further west.

● Once the British Government was over with its military division between the two

countries, Mr. Jinnah directed the Pakistan army to enter the valley and fight with Indian
forces in 1948.

● Indians were defeated by the Pakistan army on many fronts due to which the Indian

government took the matter to UNO where it claimed Kashmir to be part of India and
submitted the document in UNO signed by Hari Singh Dogra which proved the accession
of Kashmir to India.

● Pakistan denied accepting the very accession document of Kashmir to India as it was

concealed from Pakistan and further violated the independence act of 1947. Since the
Raja did not consider the geographical condition of Kashmir and avoided the wishes of
the people of the valley, who wanted Kashmir to be a part of Pakistan.

● UNO immediately called for ceasefire between the two countries and directed the both

forces to retreat from the fighting zone where it drew a temporary boundary which is
called the Line of Control.

● The L.O.C is under the observation of the United Nations to stop the violation of the

ceasefire by either of the forces.

● In 1950 UNO sent a delegation to both countries to resolve the dispute which resulted in

failure as the Indian authorities did not cooperate.

● The United Nations decided to hold a plebiscite in the valley. Pakistan favoured

referendum to be held to know the wishes of the people of Kashmir. Whereas the Indian
authorities held the election through which a fake assembly was found as the turn out of
the voters in the very elections was less than 1%.

● The very fake and bogus Kashmir legislative assembly than passed a resolution in which

Kashmir was acceded to India. Pakistan rejected all such elections which were held up till
now and the resolution as well.

● After the war of 1971 in order to get 90,000 prisoners of war released from India, Z.A

Bhutto signed the Shimla agreement with Indira Gandhi according to which Pakistan
would not take the Kashmir dispute to the UN for solution and the dispute would be
resolved between India and Pakistan through bilateral talks.

● Since 1947 up till now Kashmir has been striving to get Independence from India and

become a part of Pakistan. Three wars were fought over Kashmir in 1948, 1965, 1998
which resulted in nothing. Both countries are now the atomic powers and any war which
would start between the two countries would certainly with the conventional weapons but
could end in nuclear holocaust.

● Kashmir is not only a bone of contention between India and Pakistan but also a Nuclear

Flash Point in the region.