History and Heritage of Pakistan

By: Muhammad Ajmal Khan

 MUSLIM RULE AND HERITAGE IN INDIA (712-1857)

• Conquest of Muhammad Bin Qasim (712):

• Muhammad Bin Qasim invaded Sindh in 712 A.D. to defeat his rival, Raja Dahir. The
historians interpreted the invasion of Sindh in multiple ways.
• According to Lane-Poole, the Arab conquest was indeed an episode in the history of India
and of Islam, a triumph without results. Other historians praised the invasion as the
propagation of Islam in South Asia for the first time.
• Result of Arab Conquest of Sindh:
• Establishment of relations between the Arabs and Hindus
• A way was paved for future conquests and propagation of Islam
• Impacts on culture
• Spread of Islam
• Pre-Mature Death of Muhammad Bin Qasim (715)
 EVOLUTION OF MUSLIM SOCIETY IN SOUTH ASIA
• Ghaznavid Empire (997-1030) 17 Expeditions, Perceptions regarding the invasions of Mehmud
Ghaznavi.
• Muhammad Ghauri (1202-1206) Ruled Herat and Ghazni (Afghanistan). He was a pious
Muslim and wanted an end to the idolatry of Hindus in South Asia. His Kingship was theocratic in
nature
 DELHI SULTANATE (1206-1526)

• Mamluk Dynasty or Salve Dynasty (1206-1290)

• Khilji Dynasty (1290-1320)
• Tughlaq Dynasty (1320-1412)
• Saiyed Dynasty (1414-1451)
• Lodhi Dynasty (1451-1526)
 MUGHAL EMPIRE (1526-1857)

• Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur (1526-30)

• Sher Shah Suri (1540-55)
• Humayoun (1530-40, 1555-56)
• Akbar the Great (1556-1605)
• Jehangir (1606-1628)
• Shah Jahan (1628-58)
• Aurangzeb Alamgir (1658-1707)
• Later Mughals (Bahadur Shah Zafar
British Arrival in India
 Advent of British Rule

• The Central Asians, Afghanis, Arabs and Turks drew a route for foreigners to invade Sub-
continent.
• South Asia’s popular status for trade attracted the Europeans.
• The French, Dutch, Portuguese and Englishmen started visiting Asia for trade purpose.
• The French and British rivalry reached Asia to dominate the Subcontinent.
• The Mughals and Indians defended their homeland against the foreigners.
 The East India Company

• The East India Company or the English India Company was established on December 31, 1600.
• The EIC was started as a monopolistic trading body so that England could participate in the East
Indian spice trade. It also traded cotton, silk, indigo, saltpetre, and tea and transported slaves.
• The Englishmen defeated the French and Dutch companies and attracted the Mughal Emperor
Jahangir through diplomatic tactics.
• Initially, the East India Company started as a factory but slowly and steadily influenced Indian
political and religious Affairs.
 The War of Independence (1857)

• The war of independence or the war of Mutiny was a turning point in the history of the
Subcontinent. The British-Indian soldiers revolted against the policies of the British Raj and
declared a war of Independence in 1857 at Meerut, UP.
• Most historians considered the 1857 episode as a war of Mutiny. They believe that the Indians
revolted against their governors who brought them to an age of Enlightenment.
 Causes of War of Independence

• The causes of the war of independence can be divided into three categories:
• 1. Administrative causes
• 2. Political causes
• 3. Social causes
• 4. Economic Causes
• 5. Military causes
 Political Causes

• The Expansionist Policy of the British Raj The colonial rulers started expanding their raj towards
the settled areas of India. They started ruling the population of United India despite the existence of the
Mughal rule.
• Annexation policies of Lord Dalhousie The British Lord annexed Punjab and Sindh during the
period of 1846-1853 which resulted in the elimination of Indian rule in South Asia.
• Humiliation of Muslim Rule Despite of existence of Muslim rule in South Asia, the British rulers
started humiliating the local rulers generally and Bahadur Shah Zafar particularly which was not
accepted by the Indian people.
• Doctrine of Lapse The new policy introduced by the colonial rulers was that the ruler who do not
have their direct successors (son) would not be allowed to heir any other relative or blood relative. In
such circumstances, the company has the right to abduct that property.
 Administrative Causes
• Administrative reforms New reforms introduced by the British Raj were opposite to the nature
of Indians.
• Changing of official language Initially, the official language of united India was Persian under
the Mughal rule. Every Indian knew the Persian language. The colonial rulers changed the official
language from Persian to English, which brought troubles to the lives of Indians.
• Replacement of judicial system Before the advent of colonial rulers, the Mughal Empire had a
local judicial system and most of the Indians used to follow the Jirga system in India. After the
arrival of the British Raj, the new judicial system was introduced which was expensive for
Indians.
• Exclusion of the Indians: The Indians were excluded from high positions and they were not
allowed in Clubs, Restaurants, and Parks. Most of the clubs had a sign board displaying “Indians
and dogs are not allowed”.
 Social Causes

• Conversion of Muslims to Christianity After establishing the company in India, the main focus
of the colonial rulers was to spread Christianity in India.
• Missionaries Educational Institution They established various schools and institutions to teach
Christianity to the Indians.
• Prisoners and orphans’ conversion to Christianity The prisoners of wars and the orphans of
soldiers had no other option other than to accept Christianity. Because the Company fulfilled the
needs of orphans and prisoners. In response, they taught the teachings of Christianity.
 Economic Policies

• Agrarian policy The new policy of colonial rulers was facilitating the company only, the Indians
were just used as a labour class.
• Trade policy The British Raj restricted the trade policy for Indians because they wanted to
dominate the Indian economic system.
• Extreme poverty in India Consequently, the Indians faced extreme poverty in India, and the
people were deprived of their basic rights.
 Military Causes

• Positions of Indians v/s British soldiers There was complete discrimination between Indian and
British soldiers. The Indians had the lowest ranks in the army and got the lowest salaries as well.
The Indians were sent to unnecessary wars. Soldiers were deprived of their privileges.
• Enfield rifle The Colonial rulers introduced new weapons on the market. The Indians were
unable to operate those weapons. The cartridges that were used in the rifle were made of cow and
pig fat. The soldier has to open the cartridge with his mouth. The pig’s fat was forbidden for
Muslims and the cow’s fate was forbidden for the Hindus so resultantly, the Indian soldiers
revolted.
 Heritage of Pakistan

• 1. Mohanja daro 1922 (Sindh)

• 2. Texila (Gandhara Civilization)
• 3. Takht Bhai (KPK)
• 4. Lahore Fort (Mughal Empire, Shah Jahan)
• 5. Makhli Thatta
• 6. Rohthas Fort (Built by Shersha Suri)
• 7. Badshahi Mosque (Aurangzeb Alamgir)
• 8. Wazir Khan Mosque (Shah Jahan)
• 9. Hiran Minaar
• 10. Rani Kot (Great wall of Sindh)
 Cultural Legacy

• 1. Religious legacy
• 2. Muslim legacy
• 3. British legacy
• 4. Ethnic legacy (Punjabi, Pashtun, Sindi, Balochi, Kashmiri etc.)